The Dark One's Darkest Dream
by SpottedLesbian
Summary: Tar Valon's White Tower to SaDiablo Hall in Dhemlan and all the Darkness between: Can love survive when wrenched from familiar surroundings? Can our heroes Rand and Min turn unprecedented disaster to their advantage? How will Saetan and Jaenelle react...
1. Chapter 1 Awakenings

! **Disclaimer: I do not own any part of "The Black Jewels" or "The Wheel Of Time" series, nor do I have plans to profit financially from this story** !

If you don't own Anne Bishop and Robert Jordan's books - g_o buy them now _- this will not be money wasted!

If you don't have any cash, and can't find the local library (or made a fool of yourself hitting on the librarian there and never want to go back), it's not the end of the world. I do a fair amount of explaining in my story so that all characters are properly introduced and they, and the readers, know what is going on and why.

My story begins at the end of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson's "The Gathering Storm"- after Rand destroys the Choeden Kal (super-magic-amplifier-doohickey).

Rand appears in Anne Bishop's "The Black Jewels" Realms after the events in "Kaleer's Heart".

Yes, I used the dialogue (only the dialogue) from part of one of the first chapters in "Towers of Midnight" to set the scene. I also couldn't bring myself to butcher Anne Bishop's paragraph describing Witch's appearance. But the rest is original. (At least I think it is, who knows how much is subconsciously robbed from other series of novels I loved? - Hey, maybe you'll recognize something. Keep an eye out, but I assure you I did not intentionally plagiarize anyone, scout's honour and all that jazz.)

I Genuinely respect all of the authors who inspired this work, and I wish them the absolute best in this life and the next.

This fan-fiction novel was started on 19/01/'11

*denotes psychic communication *

**The Dark One's Darkest Dream** by SpottedLesbian

**Chapter 1** - Awakenings

Egwene could vaguely hear the sounds of a servant opening the drapes covering the large door and window that led onto the Amyrlin apartment's personal balcony. After the madness of the last few days she had decided to treat herself to indescribable luxury in the form of a full night's sleep. Unfortunately, thanks to her training and natural aptitude as a dreamer, a portion of her mind had remained aware and concerned. Exhausting battles with Seanchan in the Tower, Gawyn's miraculous appearance, her subsequent abduction from the Tower, and being raised to Amyrlin properly, all combined and served to keep Egwene's head spinning.

"Nothing is going to fix itself while I lay here," she thought to herself as she mentally shook away the sleep and opened her dark eyes. "And if I stay here too long there are all too many people ready and willing to 'fix' things their own way," she thought sardonically. She looked over to the corner where a small, pretty young servant waited patiently near a steaming washbasin. There were plush towels, and a carafe of orange-yellow fruit juice and crystal goblet on an immense silver platter placed on the gilded side table.

"Thank you, Meraine." Egwene gently thanked the girl as she stood up and stretched. "Please inform Silviana that I would like her to gather Romanda, Lelaine, and at least one sister from each ajah in my office within the hour for an informal meeting before the calling of the Hall later this morning."

"Yes, Mother." The girl bobbed a perfect curtsy before scurrying out the door, causing a small smile to grow on Egwene's serious face. It would be some time yet before Egwene al'Vere could watch a young woman bow and run off to do her mistress's bidding without a small, rueful smile to herself, recalling her own recent tribulations. The adversity and hardship had been worth the reward, however, as the young woman prepared to face another day as the leader of the ancient and powerful group known as Aes Sedai.

Pushing those thoughts aside as she washed her face and dressed, she concentrated on what to say and how to lay out her plans to the women who came to her 'informal' gathering. She chose to wear a simple, elegant blue gown with green and white interwoven bands around the wrists and waist. Quickly brushing the tangles out of her long and dark, straight hair, she picked up her stole and left the apartment.

On her way to her adjoining office, Egwene came upon a large group of women already congregating around the Keeper's Desk. Peering through the crowd, Egwene could see square-featured, solid Silviana. She was talking excitedly with several other Aes Sedai of the red ajah, and incredibly two other sisters of the brown and white ajahs. On second look, Egwene noticed an inordinate number of sisters present. What was most intriguing was that many were no longer glaring suspiciously at each other out of the corners of their eyes. The women were still grouped roughly by ajah, but she saw more cordial inter-ajah interaction in this one room than she had since she came to the White Tower. Not everyone looked happy, but most women had a speculative, wondering tone, and no voices were raised beyond the regular levels heard often in debate.

Silviana gracefully pulled herself away from those immediately surrounding her, and sidled up to Egwene in order to speak to her quietly as they passed the group. They proceeded to the massive Amyrlin's Office doors together. "None of the teams sent out yesterday afternoon to report on what is now being dubbed 'The Phenomenon' have checked in yet. Even so, the mood in the Tower is lighter than it has been in a long time. We don't know if this light, and the resulting partial cloud dispersal, bodes well or ill for us, but the majority of sisters feel it to be a positive thing."

"We'll just have to wait until our teams return from Dragonmount to know anything for sure," Egwene said softly as they entered her office and she settled herself on her chair. "But it's heartening to see that so many sisters feel the same way, and appear willing to at least talk to those of other ajahs. I see that the directions I gave Meraine to pass on to you have been followed, so please give me five minutes to prepare while you gather at least one woman from each ajah, and as many Sitters as are lounging around out there. Send for tea and a dozen chairs, then bring the sisters in."

Silviana gave a surprisingly girlish twitter of laughter, "I'm afraid those orders were completely unnecessary Egwene, as half of those women outside were at my desk when I arrived a half hour ago. This event has stirred up the pot, but I'm glad because at least now nobody is screeching at each other, or throwing daggers with their eyes. Other than Romanda, and Lelaine, that is." She gave another small laugh as she slipped out the door.

"Regardless of what caused the cloud clearing yesterday, I must find a way to turn this positive feeling to advantage," Egwene thought to herself as she tidied the previous day's reports. Her brain was awhirl with ideas and schemes as Silviana led a number of sisters into the office, followed by hustling servants carrying chairs from the near-by conference room, followed by yet more sisters. As the women settled, Egwene could see that although the ajahs were not represented exactly equally, there were at least two from every ajah, and three and four from the green and white ajahs respectively. There were not enough chairs for all, but naturally the pecking order sorted itself out quickly. The Sitters, or the most powerful women (who were not always one and the same), took the chairs and their subordinates fanned out behind.

"Thank you all for meeting me here so promptly this morning," Egwene said with a wry grin, ready to acknowledge the truth of their convenient appearance. "We are all eager to know the cause of the 'phenomenon' yesterday afternoon. We shall have to wait until the scouting teams have returned and reported before we know what, if anything, we are able to do." This comment caused a stir, several women standing up and demanding that plans be formulated immediately, while others called loudly for a full convening of The Hall.

Egwene let it go on for a minute, then she calmly raised her right hand, palm outwards toward the center of the room. Miraculously, the talk quieted, those women who had risen from their seats smoothing their skirts and settling down again.

"This is not the most important thing at this time. There are other issues to be addressed, but fear not, when the scouting teams return, this will be brought before the entire hall. My primary reason for..." Egwene was calmly but authoritatively wrenching the conversation in the direction she wished it to head when a red-faced Novice burst through the door. The young girl froze when two dozen sets of intense Aes Sedai eyes pinned her to the unopened half of the large office doors.

"Erm... um... aaa..." The poor girl started to stammer under the fierce gazes. "Ap... apologies Mother, but he's here, at the White Tower! What are we going to do? He's _here_!" she blurted out.

"Calm yourself, child." Romanda cut in as soon as the girl had finished. "Now take a breath and tell us _who_ is here."

"The Dragon Reborn. And he's asking to see you." The girl turned to Egwene and added a very quiet "Mother" as the room went silent.

Tar Valon was quite a sight, and although standing at the very base of the White Tower limited one's ability to take in the grandiose Post-Breaking Ogier-built metropolis as a whole, it was a spectacular spot from which to view the many spires and towers poking up above the impressive city. The hustle and bustle of Tar Valon was usually muted somewhat on the grounds of the White Tower, as many would not bother an Aes Sedai for anything less than dire need. Today, however, the stairs leading to the main entrance hall were packed with city residents, Aes Sedai, Warders, Accepted, serving and stabling staff, and even a few Novices here and there. The crowd had grown in the last few minutes to spill onto the lawn and grounds in a fan around the staircase, and everywhere it was whispered, "Is it true? Is it really him? The Dragon is here?"

Rand laughed inside at the panic and consternation on many of the faces around him. Maintaining his cool composure, he squeezed the arm threaded through his against his side in a show of warmth and support. Min had been unhappy about his plan to go to Tar Valon alone. In fact, she had refused to allow him to put his stubborn-fool head in a bear trap as she called it. She had been so beautiful when raging at him, the light firing her eyes and her face flushed with anger and fear, that he had revised his plan.

She seemed, to Rand, to be on high alert. Most people looking at her wouldn't realize it, but he knew Min was ready to run or pull her knives and fight at any second. It actually made him chuckle aloud at the thought, surrounded by over a hundred Warders and two full circles of Aes Sedai (twenty-six linked sisters), that she would unquestionably fight on his side if things went awry. He gave a small smile to Min's inquiring look, but couldn't and didn't want to hide the sincere love, and amusement in his expressive gray eyes. Seeing a similar sparkle in hers, he turned to study the other women he had brought with him today.

Cadsuane, of course, was as cool as ice. With her crisp dress folds, immaculately bunned steel-grey hair and majestic carriage, along with the unmistakeable ageless face, she was a model of serenity and composure. Aes Sedai to the bone. Nynaeve, on the other hand, appeared ready to attack the Warders, Aes Sedai, and anyone else foolish enough to cross her path. Within minutes of arrival she had lost her 'cool', pulled her braided hair over her shoulder and started to tug at it, all the while glaring at anyone who looked their way. Rand shook his head in amusement at her conspicuous emotional response while he pondered the sequence of events that brought them to the Tower that day.

Rand had been totally exhausted after his insane feat on Dragonmount, somehow making it into a copse of small trees and bushes a couple miles from the base of the mountain. He had wrapped his brown cloak about him, too tired to lament the absence of the fine black coat he had traded for the ragged, earth coloured thing he burrowed into, and fell immediately into a deep sleep.

He awoke feeling amazingly refreshed, albeit stiff from the impossibly uncomfortable position in which he had slept. Standing and stretching slightly, he discovered that he felt good overall, and the wounds on his side even felt a bit better this morning, at least not as agonizing as most times. He wished he had his sword with him. It had been a while since he had trained in earnest, and although he hadn't learned any new one-handed forms since he lost his left hand, he would have enjoyed the workout nonetheless. He made a mental note to talk to a Blademaster or two soon, now that Lan was gone north, to research new exercises and forms that would cover for his infirmity.

Thinking of the sword caused Rand to start. _Lews'_ sword. The sword Lews Therin Telamon himself had used for centuries.

Involuntarily, he closed his eyes and turned his mind's eye inward and back. Rand _was_ Lews Theron Telamon, and he had all of the man's memories. Before, it was sporadic chunks of memory, often seemingly guided by a presence in his head, that came to him. This time though, in the time it takes to draw a breath, Rand lived another life complete and then died.

Gasping for breath and opening his eyes, Rand found himself floundering about on his back in a dense thicket of thorns. Apparently his flashback, or whatever it was, had caused him to stumble backwards into some very sharp, nasty bushes. Leaping up and stepping quickly but carefully away from the thorns, he began to brush himself off, wearing an embarrassed expression on his face. Noticing the streaks of blood left by his hand on his brown trousers, he pulled his hand in front of his face to see what his haste at getting out of that thicket had accomplished.

Ten minutes later, Rand was just getting control of his laughter. He felt ready. Even through the laughter and pain, he could see and think more clearly than in a long while. He wove a gateway in the air, and as he walked through, looking at his bloody hand, he chuckled again and said, "Min's _not_ going to like this."


	2. Chapter 2 Dragon in the Tower

**Chapter 2** - Dragon in the Tower

Rand led the group, strolling easily, unconsciously using an archaic form of Cat Crossing the Courtyard. Even though he knew he could not wield it nearly as adeptly now, having lost one of his sword hands, he felt more confident with his long, incredibly sharp blade hanging in a plain scabbard at his left side. Min was tucked about as close as possible to his right side, with Cadsuane and Nynaeve just subtly behind and to right and left. They and their escort made slow progress through the hallways, as it was not easy to get more than two hundred people through a hallway built for no more than six abreast. The multitude of spectators clogged the way as well, but fell back in surprisingly good order as the Warders neared.

The magnificence of the Hall of the Tower, the center of Power and influence in Tar Valon, was enough to make most stand and gawk. For centuries Tar Valon had stood proudly as the most enormous and impressive city built after 'The Breaking of the World'. All of the positively massive structures and cities built in the 'Age of Legends' had been demolished. Huge and spectacular urban areas had been ravaged during that turbulent time, and significant portions of the population everywhere had been annihilated by brain-tainted mad-men who could channel. The reforming of nations and resumption of international communication, after the madness had finally ceased, had taken many years. Since that time, many rulers had stood humbled at the opulence and majesty of the Hall, and the Aes Sedai who rule the Tower and subsequently the city.

Fortunately, Cadsuane had been a graduate of the Tower before any of the women present had likely been born, and, moreover, was more powerful than almost anyone present as well (an important, if unacknowledged custom of Aes Sedai is one almost always defers to the most powerful woman present). Nynaeve was similarly unimpressed. Having been there before and hated the experience, she was adamantly opposed to leaving Rand to his own devices or leaving him with 'sisters' she didn't know, or trust. Min had spent time in the White Tower as well, so would not have been awed even if she hadn't been busy trying to spot auras around everyone.

They walked to the center of the floor and stopped. Rand coolly ran his eyes over the large gathering now filling the doorway and spilling into the Hall. His view touched on the assembled Sitters on their benches, skipping Egwene's eyes quickly as he passed. He scanned the gilded frescoes and begemmed chandelier, then slowly turned back and put his gaze squarely on Egwene. With the weight of Lews Therin Telamon's memories of a time _much_ more fantastic than this one in his expressive eyes, and the changes of the last couple years marked clearly on his body and face, he held her gaze for a moment before he spoke.

"Egwene, you have done your part, I see. The Amyrlin's stole fits you well." Rand said in a clear and sonorous voice she had never heard from him, as he bowed to her and nodded his head in respect.

Rand could see Egwene was slightly taken aback by this approach. Or maybe it was the combination of his strange arrival, poor clothing, and choice of companions. He was glad to show no signs of surprise when she blurted, "What has happened to you?"

He thought for a moment, placing his hands comfortably behind his back, and answered. "I was broken, and then, remarkably, I was reforged. I think he almost had me, Egwene. It was Cadsuane who set me to fixing it, though she did it by accident. Still, I had to lift her exile."

Egwene looked a little confused, eyes shifting to Cadsuane herself standing stoically at Rand's right side. She recovered quickly though, trying to make up what she supposed was lost ground. "Why have you come before the Amyrlin Seat? Have you come to make a petition, or have you come to surrender yourself to the White Tower's guidance?"

The tingling on his neck and arms hadn't gone away, but Rand had put it out of his mind long ago. He calmly studied the various Sitters, seemingly oblivious to the thirteen sisters actively holding his Shield. "I've hated you before... I've felt a lot of emotions in recent months," he began in response. "It seems that from the very moment Moiraine came to the Two Rivers, I've been struggling to avoid Aes Sedai strings of control. And yet, I allowed other strings - more dangerous strings - to wrap around me unseen."

"It occurs to me that I've been trying too hard. I worried that if I listened to you, you'd control me. It wasn't a desire for independence that drove me, but a fear of irrelevance. A fear that the acts I accomplish would be yours, and not my own." With a small, rueful grin she probably couldn't see he added, "I should have wished for such a convenient set of backs upon which to heap the blame for my crimes."

Rand could see that his philosophical tone and demeanor were not what was needed; in fact, with her next words Egwene proved that to be exactly the wrong tack to have taken. She began in a soft, comforting tone. "Rand, I'm going to have some sisters talk to you to decide if there is anything... wrong with you. Please try to understand."

"Oh, I do understand Egwene." Rand smiled widely with amusement sparkling in his grey eyes. "And I am sorry to deny you, but I have much to do. People starve because of me, others live in terror of what I've done." He continued with a grim but determined look on his handsome face. "A friend rides to his death without allies. There is so little time to do what I must." His speaking pace and volume had lowered while the intensity of his eyes held her fast, so by the last sentence it seemed as if it were only he and Egwene in the Hall, and each word dropped like a lead weight.

"Rand," Egwene said almost immediately, "We have to make sure."

Rand sighed silently and nodded in complete understanding. "This is the part I regret. I did not wish to come into your center of power, which you have achieved so well, and defy you. But it cannot be helped. You must know what my plans are so that you can prepare."

Rand could clearly remember those divisive times, so he put all of his sincerity and feeling behind his pitch to Egwene, hoping against hope that they could work together. "The last time I tried to seal the Bore, I was forced to do it without the help of the women. That was part of what led to disaster, though they may have been wise to deny me their strength. Well, blame must be spread evenly, but I will _not_ make the same mistakes a second time. I believe that saidin and saidar both must be used. I don't have the answers yet."

Egwene searched his eyes, then quickly looked away and scanned the room. "Which are you?" She whispered wonderingly.

All the spectators, Sitters, sisters and Warders had been completely silent throughout. The only sounds other than Rand and Egwene's voices were the gentle rustling of skirts and the faint shifting of shoes, so Rand heard Egwene's unintentional outburst.

Unperturbed, as if he were discussing the next shearing season, he answered in a clear tone. "I am both Egwene. I remember him, Lews Therin. I can see his entire life, every desperate moment. I see it like a dream, but a clear dream. My own dream. It's part of me." Rand continued shortly, seeing that Egwene was not about to be convinced of his sanity in one short, formal meeting, he pressed on with the plea he had come here to make.

"In one months time, I'm going to travel to Shayol Ghul and break the last remaining seals on the Dark One's prison. I want your help," he stated simply and succinctly.

"Rand, no," She said.

"I'm going to need you, all of you," He continued, scanning the faces in the front rows of Sitters and Sisters. "I hope to the Light that this time you will give me your support. I want you to meet with me on the day before I go to Shayol Ghul. And then... well, then we will discuss my terms."

Egwene's face reddened and her eyes hardened. "Your terms?" she demanded.

"You will see." He said, turning to leave.

"Rand al'Thor!" She said, rising, her voice like a whip-crack. "You will _not_ turn your back on the Amyrlin Seat!"

He froze, and with an uncompromising cast to his features he turned back toward her.

"You can't break the seals," Egwene said. "That would risk letting the Dark One free."

He answered in his most reasonable tone. "A risk we must take. Clear away the rubble. The Bore must be opened fully before it can be sealed."

"We must talk about this," she said. "Plan."

"That is why I came to you. To let you plan." He could see she took that as a flippant answer, but at this point he didn't really care.

"There are things that we must speak of, Rand," she insisted as she retook her seat primly. "Not just this, but other things - the sisters your men have bonded not the least of them."

"We can speak of that when we next meet."

She turned her mighty frown upon him and he had the urge to laugh like a little boy, as it no longer affected him as it had in the past. "And so we come to it," Rand said as he bowed and slightly inclined his head. "Egwene al'Vere, Watcher of the Seals, Flame of Tar Valon, may I have your permission to withdraw?"

He could see Egwene was wondering two things: if the Aes Sedai combined, had they enough strength to subdue him? And whether or not he was mocking her. Likely the latter was the more important question on her mind, by the look in her eyes, but he watched her quickly master herself and was impressed.

She responded in a crisp, emotionless voice. "I will not let you break the seals. That is madness."

"Then meet with me at the place known as the Field of Merrilor, just to the north. We will talk before I go to Shayol Ghul. For now, I do not want to defy you, Egwene, but I _must_ go." He stared straight into her eyes, looking for the girl he used to know, the one he trusted and who trusted him. Light! He laughed to himself, the girl he had thought for years he was going to marry. And he found that young girl in the impressive woman who confronted him now. She was burning with frustration, anger and resolve warring with fierce pride and ambition; a young woman who no longer held strings on his heart but held strong ties to his past. He recognized her then, and in her eyes he saw a glimmer of recognition as well. It would never again be like it was, but they could move on from a place of mutual understanding.

To those not involved in the apparent contest of wills, it seemed as if they were both frozen for a moment. The chamber was still enough to hear the faint breeze making the rose window groan in it's lead mullions, and not an exhalation of breath could be heard.

"Very well," Egwene said. "But this is not ended, Rand."

"There are no endings, Egwene." he replied, nodding to her once before smoothly sauntering from the Hall with Min on his arm. He stopped for a moment to exchange a few words each with Cadsuane, then Nynaeve, both of whom remained in the center of the Hall as Rand and Min walked away. His Aes Sedai and Warder escort, caught flat-footed, scurried to catch up to them as they swept through the crowd and out the Hall door.


	3. Chapter 3 Doorways and Gateways

**Chapter 3** - Doorways and Gateways

"Well, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" Rand quipped to Min after they had left the Hall proper, and proceeded to laugh uproariously at the incredulous and furious look she shot him. He shucked off her dismay as he easily avoided the hard stares from Warders and Aes Sedai alike who had heard him and continued. "We got in, we got our point across, and we got out without you having to use those handy blades of yours."

"You wool-headed fool," Min said softly in an exasperated tone. "What am I to do with you?" This only raised another bout of laughter from Rand. She didn't mind, as through her bond to him she could feel his rising confidence and surety, all completely overwhelmed by a warm burst of love so powerful it would outshine the sun at noon on midsummer's day. And that love was for her.

Smiling to herself and wracking her brain for a gentle way to burst his little 'ego bubble', Min carried on down the hall at his side. Her tall shepherd boy was sure growing up. She shook her head in amazement that they had only known each other for about two years, and again in disbelief that she could feel okay about sharing him with not one, but two, other women.

Rand's stopping abruptly caused her to come out of her contemplations. She refocused her attention to the Aes Sedai in front of her and Rand in the hallway. Immediately she noticed most Aes Sedai and their Warders looking apprehensive and almost fearful, whereas others looked only resigned. Where the hallway had previously continued straight ahead of them, there was now a wall across the passage with a door cut into it.

One of the Aes Sedai explained to Rand and Min how lately the routes around the huge building sometimes changed, and how a section of the Novice quarters had ended up where some of the Aes Sedai's apartments belonged. They were both fairly familiar with the slight readjustments of the pattern, knowing that most if not all of them were 'bubbles of evil' caused by the Dark One, so Min was surprised when Rand pushed past the Aes Sedai and peered into the room.

"It's obviously just an old storeroom," Rand stated as he turned back to the group. "Look at the stone, it's certainly not from this floor. Judging by the moisture on the stone and the state of those wooden boxes, this room usually resides at least thirty feet below ground level. And we're certainly not likely to find an exit to the front gates through there..." His voice cut off and he started chuckling quietly. The looks he was receiving from the Aes Sedai and Gaiden made Min fume. You would think they had just heard a snake talk, not a quick and accurate example of deductive reasoning from a man who could channel.

The helpful Aes Sedai who had explained the hallway shift then attempted to herd Rand and Min back along the corridor, explaining that they should have to make only four or five turns in order to leave from the door at which they had arrived. Refusing to be herded, Rand clasped Min's left arm in his right and turned back towards the storeroom.

"If you ladies don't mind, I'm not really particular about leaving the same way I arrive. If you fine Gaiden would just move a little..." he said to the hallway of Warders and Aes Sedai behind him while shooing the Warders nearest the 'new' doorway away. "And if you sisters would remove the Shield you still hold on me..." He spoke loudly over the chorus of argument that erupted. "I swear on the Light, and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, that I mean no harm today and will Travel away immediately the moment my Shield is down."

After consulting several of her Aes Sedai compatriots and a short consultation with the Gaiden, the Helpful Herd-Master (as Min was currently thinking of her) sashayed over and spoke curtly to Rand. She entirely ignored Min.

"My name is Meidani Sedai, and we will take your oath. You now have one minute to Travel to a location at least five miles from Tar Valon. If you are still here, or are still anywhere within that range at the end of one minute, we will do all that we can to catch you and gentle you."

Rand's levity had vanished when he made the oath, and Meidani's comment finished the job of transforming his mood. With granite-gray eyes, a stone-faced Rand replied simply, "I understand. Farewell, Meidani Sedai, and I hope we meet again in more favorable circumstances."

With that he firmed his grip on Min's arm, seized saidin and waved his hand vaguely, as he did every time he Traveled. "That was strange...," he commented softly to himself, after his usual portal failed to open properly and seemed to just blow away. He had felt no nausea or loss of balance until the gateway was sucked away from his control. He gripped tighter to Min for a moment and seemed to sway, pulling her tiny frame completely against his much larger, solid body.

"Rand," she cried, startled by the blank look on his face and the slackness of his lips. Concerned with Rand's face, Min didn't see the full size Traveling portal open right beside her, nor did she see it being sucked somehow into the moldy storeroom. She saw only Rand's face as he snapped back to lucidity at the very same moment she felt the portal include her in it's insistent pull towards something in the store-room.

Seconds became hours as Min felt herself pulled more and more forcefully away from Rand. She fought with every ounce of strength she possessed to maintain her hold on Rand's arm, but it slowly dawned on her that it was a losing battle. The Aes Sedai and Warders had all moved out of reach while she frantically clutched Rand's arm. She was pulled almost horizontally away from Rand's chest, and he had only one hand with which to grab her. As strong as he was, this was not a battle he could win.

"I love you, let go, just _let me go!_" she screamed as she felt herself being ripped from his grasp.

Rand summoned physical strength he didn't imagine he had and held on. With more of a growl than a roar he pulled Min's torso to him, wrapped both arms around her tightly and cried, "No, I won't lose her! _ I will not give up on you Min!_"

They held that pose for a second, then Rand was snatched right off his feet. Rand and Min disappeared along with the Traveling portal, somehow sucked through the newly repositioned doorway. A regular Traveling gateway would deposit them somewhere of the channeller's choosing in the Westlands, or anywhere else they knew intimately. Some strange Power in the storeroom altered Rand's gateway in an inconceivable, impossible way. It tossed them into another _world_ entirely.

Those still in the hallway were all knocked backward by a blast of air coming from the storage area just after Min and Rand vanished. When those who were able got up and dusted themselves off, an excited discussion ensued. Nobody present in the hallway had any idea what exactly had happened, nor where Rand and Min may have gone. The Aes Sedai and Warders within twenty feet of the door were the worst off; two broken arms, a spinal injury and a skull fracture were the cost of the Dragon's magical escapades in the White Tower today.


	4. Chapter 4 Pain and Curiosity

**Chapter 4** - Pain and Curiosity

Min woke with a throbbing pain in her head and face, a mouth that felt like she had been chewing sand for hours, and her arms and left hand ached enough to convince her to never move again. After opening her eyes and crying out with the pain that the very dull light brought her, she closed her eyes again and tried to reason her situation out. She remembered watching Egwene and Rand spar with words in the Hall of the Tower, then laughing either with or at Rand in a hallway somewhere... Then what?

As her mental and physical capabilities slowly returned to her, she discovered that she was perched in a foetal position on her left side directly on top of someone's chest. The rapid, shallow noises she was hearing while waking were coming from Rand, she found as her vision cleared. Rand lay flat on his back on cool black stone, with his arms spread away from his body and his sword and scabbard trapped beneath him. Quickly kneeling beside him she touched his bloody face and called his name. He was completely unconscious and had a large gash from the cheek to the forehead on the left side of his handsome face. He also had dark red blood matting his short red hair.

"Rand, come on, Rand!" She almost released his face again when she felt how hot and sweaty it was. "Oh Light, don't do this." Thinking quickly, she realized she had no idea where she was. Rand hadn't mentioned their destination once. Looking around she saw that they were in a relatively small chamber built of black stone about the size of a moderately profitable stable, but almost completely stark, with no dividing walls. There was a small amount of furniture with very subtle and strange decorations; only a couple wooden chairs against one wall and a large black wooden table. Near one of the shorter walls a trio of large, heavy black stones were piled, one atop the other two. There was nobody in the dark room, and no one came when she called out to Rand. Not being able to channel, and never having learned more about plants and herbs than any other tomboy (which was virtually nothing), she knew Rand needed more help than she could provide.

"Help!" Min screamed as loud as she could. Just as she was about to unleash another cry, the double doors on one long wall of the room blew in explosively. Both of the thick, heavy black doors blasted right off their bent and savaged hinges with the force of a strike that sent them careening wildly across the chamber. Thankfully, Min and Rand were not in the path they scribed through the air before crashing down and stilling.

A stunningly beautiful woman strode quickly into the room. She was followed smoothly by a handsome, lithe fellow who moved briskly from behind the woman to place himself beside and just in front. Immediately Min sized them up as Aes Sedai and Warder, though they dressed strangely. As the woman came closer and spoke a short phrase of gibberish at Min, she focused closer on the pair.

The woman was very light blonde, and appeared to be only a couple of years older than Min. She was dressed in elegant and tastefully tailored clothes; dark trousers tucked into tall black boots, and an elaborately embroidered black silk blouse. She was only taller than Min by about two or three inches, and very thin, yet had a notably commanding stride and presence. Min forgot about her hair and strut when she locked eyes with the woman and heard her say something. The woman's musical voice flew right through her head. Min's entire attention was focused on those ancient sapphire orbs, knowing eyes, and the storm of Power she could see in them. Her aunts had shown her pictures of a cyclone once, that was the only thing Min had to compare this woman to, an unpredictable, unstoppable force of nature.

The man was not overly large, but extraordinarily well proportioned (if a little short for Min's taste), and no woman with warm blood in her veins could call this man merely handsome. He was jaw-droppingly gorgeous! When he had rushed into a protective stance, Min clearly discerned that he moved with a grace that would make most Domani women die of envy, and make all Warders in the vicinity finger the hilts of their swords in nervousness. Tearing her eyes from his face, she saw that he was dressed in the same severe style as the woman, with sumptuous fabrics cut to fit flatteringly on his deceptively slender frame. Unable to meet his penetrating golden eyes when her gaze returned to them momentarily, Min turned to the woman again.

"Can you understand me now?" The woman asked, in a sharp and resonant tone, for what must have been the fourth time since she arrived.

"Yes, yes I can. Please help him," Min almost cried with relief when the woman spoke again.

"I am a Healer," the woman calmly explained as she knelt by Rand's other side. "Can you tell me what is wrong with him? And tell me how you arrived in this place," she asked, and then ordered, in the same breath, while placing her hands over Rand's head.

"I don't know what's wrong this time." Min started shaking and crying. "We were walking through a hallway... then Rand tried to Travel, I think... and I almost lost him and he can't be hurt again... he never gets better when he's hurt so he just pretends not to feel the pain... but _I can_ feel the pain and it's agony... unrelenting..." She broke into sobs on the mystery man's shoulder. When he had sidled close enough to support her, she didn't know or care.

Min fought to stay with Rand, fought to hold onto consciousness, but lost the battle almost immediately. Before falling asleep in the beautiful man's arms, she thought she heard the woman muttering about needing, "the entire Coven", whatever that could be, and that, "Papa will be fascinated."

Min woke slowly, and then jolted up straight as if hit by lightning. "Rand!" she exclaimed, before her surroundings even registered in her mind. Leaping from the bed, she was caught on the second step by an older gentleman who caught her easily, just as she was about to crash onto her face. He gently laid her back in the very soft, very large bed she had recently vacated so precipitously.

"Young Lady, I assure you that your young man is still alive," the kindly old fellow hastened to inform her. A sophisticated and handsome man, not too long out of his prime, Min surmised, with black hair just going grey at the temples. He had incredibly warm golden eyes and a rich, deep voice. Then his voice took on a wholly different tone. "In fact, if that boy has carried those wounds on his torso and continued to function as long as it appears he has... Well, I'm quite sure there aren't many Powers in this Realm, or any other I know, that could kill him. Rest assured he is under the most expert of Healing hands."

Min was incredibly relieved to hear that Rand was not going to die. She couldn't believe how the knot inside her had eased at hearing this welcome news. "Where are we? And not to be rude, but who are you?" After the initial surge of relief at the news, Min had taken stock and realized she wore nothing but a soft, ankle length slip, and other than where her daggers were, these were her questions of top priority.

The man looked quizzically at her for a second, then broke into the most astoundingly rich, heady, infectious laugh she had ever heard. The laugh, the smile, and the warm eyes that invited her to join in caused her to find herself giggling away with this stranger, who on second look-over didn't really look like your average kind old man.

Still smiling widely, he began, "My name is Saetan Daemon SaDiablo, and you are at my family home in Dhemlan, in the Realm of Kaleer. I hope you forgive my rudeness for laughing just now, but I couldn't help it. You and your friend have both been in rather bad condition, and it is such a relief to see you awake and aware. You were brought here two and a half days ago by my daughter and my son. They say a huge spike of power radiated away from the Dark Altar, which is only a ten or fifteen minute walk away. They say they found you conscious and lucid, which I find hard to believe based on the seriousness of your injuries, but nonetheless you lost consciousness again quickly, and were both brought to the Hall."

He had finished gently and continued in that vein, "You were quite grievously injured, Miss. You had dislocated your left shoulder, and broken almost all of the bones in your left hand as well as suffered a serious blow to the head. You are also very lucky to still have Craft. You were drained so drastically that even Jaenelle, that's my daughter and the witch who Healed you, wasn't sure if you had burned yourself out, or if you would recover the ability."

Min lay in the bed for a moment totally stunned. Two and a half days! No wonder she felt so weak and had fallen so quickly upon waking and leaping up. She thought of Rand and how much worse he looked than she had felt when they arrived here together.

"My name is Min Farshaw," she said quickly. "My friend's name is Rand al'Thor, and he was worse off than me when we arrived. Please, can you tell me what is wrong? Or what is being done? When can I go to see him?" She spouted off the questions so fast Saetan could barely distinguish the individual words.

"Very nice to meet you, Min Farshaw," Saetan began as he moved over to the anxious young woman's side and sat carefully on the edge of the bed, putting a fatherly, calming hand on her shoulder. As he slowly reached for her, Min noticed he was missing the smallest finger of his left hand and that the nails of all his other fingers were tinted black. "I'm afraid I'm not a Healer, so I am not the best person to tell you exactly what is wrong with Rand. As I said, he is in expert hands. My daughter, Jaenelle, is a Healer of remarkable capabilities, and her friends are literally the best at their Craft in several Realms. I'm afraid I do have to report to you that Rand's Healing is not going as well as my daughter planned. He is steadily improving, but his wounds are proving to be extraordinarily difficult for even Jaenelle to Heal."

A turn of Saetan's phrasing kept catching Min's attention. "I'm sorry, maybe I'm confused, but did you just say your daughter is Healing with Craft?" She continued quickly, unconsciously repeating her habit of delivering multiple questions at once. "But didn't you say I could recover the ability?"

"That is exactly what I said on both accounts. I notice you don't carry a Jewel, but I can feel a small amount of Power in you. Jaenelle would be able to tell what Jewel you should wear, but my talents lie in other directions. I can, however, sense a great amount of Power in your friend Rand. He is in a deep sleep now, but for the first day he was in fever dreams. During that time, Jaenelle and I both witnessed rapid and alarming dips and swells in the amount of Power he can, or should be able to access and wield."

"Oh, that's just Rand," Min said through a huge yawn. "Even when he's walking around and talking, and even training with his bloody sword, he's up and down and up again. Those wounds don't help either. I guess you could say he's something special where we come from. He is to me at least." The last bit was murmured into the pillow as Min snuggled up and turned away from Saetan.

Saetan looked fondly down at the tiny young woman sound asleep in the gigantic bed. He hadn't expected, or especially wanted, to be the one there when she awoke, but he was very glad now that it had been him. It had been years since he warmed to a person so quickly and easily, and he had a feeling that this Min Farshaw would take to Kaleer like an Eyrien to flight.

Looking down at the young man on the cot, Jaenelle could hardly believe he still survived. On initial inspection she had determined the most likely cause of his unconsciousness to be the head wound he had received. He had a long cut and a serious bruise on the left side of his face, wounds very similar to those she eventually treated his young female companion for, but that wound soon proved to be the least of his worries. Probing deeper into his head, Jaenelle had encountered something she had never seen before; an inky black stain riding on the brain, or hovering somehow just above the surface. The 'affliction', as Gabrielle and Karla dubbed it later, neatly avoided any pinpoint probes she sent into it, and seemed to merely dissolve or absorb any amount of Power the witch dared to pour into it. Jaenelle had sent for the other Healers as soon as she realized the slippery, eerie nature of the stain.

She was still furious with herself for failing one of the Healer's first tests. Jaenelle AngelineSaDiablo, High Priestess of the Hourglass and fully trained Healer, had neglected to check her patient for other injuries. Gabrielle had listened carefully to Jaenelle's explanation and diagnosis, then proceeded to conduct her own scan, her own way. Lucky for all of them she did.

The young man had two hideous wounds on the left side of his torso. One appeared to be from a hot piece of metal thrust clear through him, and the other looked like a dagger-cut gash, or possibly a glancing scimitar slash. Judging by the type and length of sword the young man had on his person when Jaenelle had found him, she assumed it was a dagger-made wound. The fairly shallow gash crossed over the circular stabbing wound on the front side of his torso, and both appeared to have opened and closed many times, so they knew that the wounds were not recently inflicted. They looked agitated and infected and were serious concerns on their own. What confused all three of the very experienced Healers was that the wounds in his side would only absorb the healing energy up to a certain point, then refuse to heal further. As with the pinpoint probes to the queer stain on his brain, the 'afflictions' in his torso wounds were able to avoid or absorb the Healing webs. There was no discernible change or reaction until reaching a threshold of Power input, at which point the stains would cause the wounds to burst open anew.

Bizarrely, and Karla was the one to pick up on this, all three sites seemed to pulsate. Using the finest, lightest touch possible all three witches were able to feel the pulsations. They were not synchronized, nor completely independent of one another, but each pulse had it's own unique feel or flavour as it throbbed grotesquely. All three witches felt like being thoroughly sick after their first feel of the curious 'inflictions'.

Saetan joined the three witches then. Having met and resettled the young woman, he came to check up on the young man. He informed the witches that the young lady was named Min Farshaw, and the young man's name was Rand al'Thor. They were most definitely from another Realm, one Saetan hadn't known existed, or possibly another world entirely. He also told them he quite liked the young lady, which made smiles appear on all three women's faces.

Jaenelle responded, lost in thought. "Papa, we are glad you like her, so it's more likely our work here will benefit one who will be an ally, but you know we would help anyway."

"We can always hope one so handsome will be an ally...," Gabrielle commented, looking down at Rand's unconscious, half naked body. "And I'd help him just to find out about these fantastic markings on his forearms."

"It's good to have confirmation that they are from another Realm. I don't like not knowing how to Heal something, and we've certainly never seen anything like this. I'd hate to think of something doing that to my people," Karla asserted.

"The girls and I are stumped," Jaenelle admitted, still frowning and thinking hard. "There is evil of some sort in three separate forms within Rand here... We are able to manipulate it with prods of Craft though... Hmm... Aha!" It had come to her after a few more moments of cogitation.

"What is it Jaenelle?" Karla and Gabrielle asked at the same moment.

"Would the High Lord consent to assist in a diagnosis and possible Healing?" Jaenelle asked solemnly in her Queen voice, squaring her shoulders and formally addressing Saetan.

Saetan took in the situation, and the question within the question, and responded just as formally. "I would be pleased to assist you Ladies, and do what I may to aid the Healing process." His specific skill set was not one suited to the preservation of life. He had only used his Craft strength to cure non-mental illnesses a couple times in the past. Although Saetan was the High Priest of the Hourglass, the High Lord of Hell, and was a master of mental Craft, he had little knowledge of Healing at the level of Craft employed by the young but very powerful witches. "Do you require time to prepare? I can be ready within sixty minutes in this room, or shall I prepare my small ritual chamber for a proper ceremony?"

"Thank you, High Lord, a proper ritual sounds like just the thing. But my sisters and I will need a day to prepare, and as the webs seem to be holding his wounds in stasis at this point, he will only be stronger tomorrow. We will perform another diagnosis immediately with your assistance, and spend the balance of the day in preparation. If you have no objections, I would like to begin the ceremony at midnight tomorrow."

"As you wish, my Lady." Saetan gave a small, formal bow and all four moved closer to the table and began the diagnosis.


	5. Chapter 5 Poetry in Motion

**Chapter 5** - Poetry in motion

Lucivar paced outside on the training grounds while waiting for his brother to finish his laps around the field. He had shown up before their agreed practice time in order to warm up and get the first good look at the blade the boy had had on his hip when he appeared so spectacularly the other day. Lucivar had been too busy at the Eyrie lately to spend much time with his brother, and he knew if he let Daemon start slipping with the sticks practice he'd run to fat in no time. As Daemon trotted up after his last full lap at sprint pace without breathing hard at all, Lucivar revised his opinion. Even without his immensely powerful Black Jewel, and even if he did lose the finely honed edge Lucivar demanded of anyone involved with the safety of the hall (other than Saetan of course), Daemon was a _very_ dangerous man.

Daemon studied his brother in turn as he finished his lap and loped over to Lucivar with the swift, slick grace of a hunting cat. His lovable, hard-headed, bat-winged brother would never change his hard charging ways, and Daemon wouldn't want him to. He had seen the covetous gazes Lucivar kept shooting at the last sword hanging from their practice rack this morning. And although he was restraining himself quite admirably, he himself desperately wanted to take the sword through it's rounds first. They had both seen and drawn the sword, but nothing compared to limbering up with a practice blade, then switching to something really special. They both instantly recognized Rand's sword as something special.

"So whaddya say Bastard? First to three gets firsties?" Lucivar challenged.

"You're on, you prick," Daemon retorted with his usual insult/pet name for his favorite brother, and attacked vigorously, trying to drive Lucivar back and on the defensive. They both knew that Lucivar would win seven or eight of every ten fights, but neither held back for a moment. A deadly dance ensued. Back and forth the brothers spun and leapt, just fractions of an inch ahead of rock-hard warp-wood staves shaped to resemble Eyrien war blades. These staves, however, were more than three times as heavy as a war blade, so when a trained fighter finds himself, or herself, with a real bladed stick in hand, it would feel weightless. Daemon did very well for himself and almost touched Lucivar twice in the first few moments before he overstepped a thrust, thinking his brother off balance, and was unceremoniously pitched onto his arse.

As Lucivar backed away, bowing slightly in respect for his brother's efforts, both fighters noticed a small young woman standing not far away. She was staring at them as if they had each grown another head. Sitting beside the rather beautiful little witch was a very large grey and brown colored wolf.

Daemon scrambled up from his position on the ground and joined Lucivar in greeting the young woman.

"Good morning Lady, I see you have already met Clarity. I am Lucivar Yaslana, and this lump here is my disreputable older brother Daemon Sadi, and we are both pleased to meet you." Lucivar said with a bow and a grin from ear to ear.

The young woman took a moment to collect herself, looking at the wolf for a long time it seemed, and then faced them squarely and spoke clearly. "I am Min Farshaw, and I am pleased to be meeting you as well. I believe your brother was one of the people to help me after our little accident, and I would like to thank you."

"You are most welcome, Min." Daemon stated simply with his rich, cultured voice.

Min's face took on a distinctly red tinge as she cast about, looking for something to say to this amazing man who shortened her breath just by being alive, and his intriguing brother with immense muscles and huge wings. Her eyes fell on the massive wolf, who had been in her room when she awoke. "I'm sorry, but did you just call this wolf _Clarity_?" She asked.

"Yes," Lucivar said happily. "He came by your room the other day to see what Saetan was up to, and once he got a whiff of you he refused to leave your side unless Saetan, Daemon or I are there. The Kindred are very particular about which humans they interact with on a regular basis, but now and again one forms a specific attachment to a person. It looks to me like you have a new friend and protector."

As Lucivar was speaking, Clarity leaned his large grey head against Min's arm and looked up into her eyes. "Oh, who could say no to a face like that?" Min cooed and leaned slightly over to hug the wolf. "I would very much like to be your friend, Clarity."

"Ah, puppy love," Lucivar commented as the wolf laid a fat kiss right on the middle of Min's small face and sent her sputtering. Lucivar and his brother simply collapsed, rolling with laughter.

"Alright, alright, enough." Min was laughing right along with the men now. "What I want is to see you do that again." She said, pointing to the training field just behind them.

"As you wish, Lady. We still have our little prize to fight for, don't we, Prick?" Daemon asked his brother after sketching a quick bow to Min. He moved into the field and set himself again.

Lucivar just chuckled and slowly started circling his brother, to place him where the morning sun would limit Daemon's vision. With no warning or signal Min could see, both men lunged towards each other and the staccato clack-crack of practice swords wielded by masters commenced. After a minute or two of intense combat, the tides turned. With an amazing turn of speed and agility, the larger man went from on the attack, to stepping back, to appearing behind the other man in the blink of an eye. Both swordsmen froze, Lucivar completely behind Daemon with his sword resting lightly on his brother's shoulder.

"Sexy, isn't it?" said a sultry voice from beside Min.

Min leapt into the air and clearly heard the snap of her own teeth as she shut the mouth that had been hanging open in awe. She glared daggers at Clarity beside her, but the fool wolf just caught her gaze for a moment, snuffled once and put his head back down on his paws.

"Don't look at him sweetheart, Clarity and I've been buddies for some time now. It's not surprising he didn't consider me threat enough to warn you about. And plus, if I didn't want someone knowing I was coming up behind them, do you think a sorry fur-ball like this one could stop me? By the way, I'm Surreal."

As the strange woman started her speech, Clarity stood up and wagged his tail. As she finished he gave as close to a contemptuous snort as Min had ever heard from an animal, then plopped back down to the ground and rolled onto his back. Surreal promptly knelt down and gave his exposed belly a ferocious snuggle then settled back on her haunches, continuing to pat the wolf as she studied Min.

"This place is certainly not boring," Min thought to herself as she studied the beautiful, exotic face of the woman beside her. The woman's comment rankled her a bit though, Min normally prided herself on her self-defense abilities. She knew she could give at least as good as she got in a fight, provided there wasn't any channeling involved, or that she didn't have her face in a book when the brawl began.

She decided to save a little bit of face, glad the servants had laundered and patched her clothing. Min had been happily surprised at the loving care they obviously showered on her daggers while she was asleep. The five knives she usually held on her person had been cleaned, honed and oiled meticulously. As well as having two new, finely crafted leather sheaths provided to replace ones that had grown loose, she had been given a new silver chain from which to hang her smallest dagger.

Making sure Surreal's eyes were on her, she smoothly and quickly, for her at least, drew her knives and performed the fanciest knuckle-roll Thom Merrilin had taught her. Then with a fanciful flourish she made the daggers disappear. "Yon wolf might not be the dangerous one around here, sugar," Min stated nonchalantly, believing she had at least pricked the woman's ego a little.

Surreal burst into an uncontrollable spasm of laughter that appeared more like a seizure. For a moment she remained on the ground next to the wolf, who eyed her very curiously, then she dragged herself up still chuckling and locked eyes with Min. Without saying a word the strange woman spun ninety degrees and flashed her right arm up and down, and then her left, spun about thirty degrees further and repeated the sequence, and again she spun by a margin and released two daggers faster than Min could even see. The entire release of all six knives took less than three seconds.

"When you want to learn how to use those, sugar, you just come to me," Surreal said with a wide smile as she turned and sauntered away towards the Hall.

"I see you met Surreal. She's a handful, but fun nonetheless." Once again someone had snuck up right behind her, but this time she kept her cool and composure. Turning slowly with a mildly curious look, Min was faced with the impressive sight of Lucivar with no shirt on and steaming from a fresh session of his favorite game, thrash your brother. "Walk with me if you would..." He gallantly suggested to her as he turned towards some trees.

Intrigued, Min promptly followed until Lucivar stopped and gently grabbed her shoulder. She followed his finger as he pointed a few things out to her, and for the third time that morning she was struck dumb with astonishment. She had thought Surreal's display with the knives was about speed, but that wasn't the half of it. She hadn't looked to see the placement of the daggers the woman had thrown at blinding speed. Three trees that were approximately seventy-five feet, sixty feet and forty-five feet away from where Surreal had been standing possessed the exact same dagger placement pattern. All at eye height to Min, each tree had a dagger imbedded in the bark by a good half inch (those thrown by Surreal's right hand), but imbedded in the hardwood handles of those knives were the points of the others (those coming from Surreal's left). When Min attempted to pull the blades free from a tree, she had to use almost her entire body weight to wrench each dagger free.

"Okay, I will freely admit it here and now," Min began, turning back to Lucivar. "I have spent months at a time watching some of the finest Blademasters and warriors of my world train, they are the strongest and fittest of men with powers of speed and strength augmented with the One Power. And honestly, I don't believe a single one of them could work you as hard as Daemon just did, never mind defeat you. I'm quite sure none of them would get even close to Surreal."

"I have been training with weapons of all sorts since I could walk." Lucivar explained. "My brother doesn't have the extensive physical weapons training I have, but we've always helped each other to learn. Over seventeen hundred years we have developed a pretty solid base of experience from which to train and equip almost any forces we need for any scenario. My official positions are Master of the Guard, and Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih, so what that means to you is I'm in charge of general security around _and_ inside the Hall. I tend to make a pain of myself, you know, ensuring everyone is fit and well fed, coordinating watches and what we call 'the rounds', as well as acting as a liaison to the Kindred communities that contribute to the safety of the Hall."

As he was talking, Lucivar led them back to the practice field. "Now, Min, if you don't mind I would like you to tell me everything you know about this sword." He inquired softly as he picked up the weapon in question and unsheathed it slowly. "Weapons are a passion of mine, as you may be able to tell. I have searched high and low throughout every Realm I knew existed for superior metals and forging techniques in order to improve my weapons, and therefore myself as a warrior. I assure you that the steel that makes up my best pair of bladed sticks, or Eyrien war blades as they're called here, is the absolute _best_ in my world. And yet I have no doubt that this superior piece of craftsmanship would cut one of my blades right in half if given the chance." He said as he lovingly stared at the bright metal of Rand's sword shining in the morning sun.

Min was slightly taken aback by the gravity of his tone but quickly marshaled her thoughts and laid out the story for Daemon, who had been listening all along, and Lucivar. The larger man moved a few feet away and went through movements that looked vaguely like what Rand did when he practiced his 'forms' as she spoke. The men quickly exhausted her supply of knowledge about existing 'Age of Legends' weapons, and her minimal knowledge of how the One Power could be used to make weapons.

After each played with the sword for a while, they both agreed that it was far superior to anything they could produce. Although it was slightly straighter and longer than the blades they were used to, both men figured they could easily adapt their style of fighting to suit Rand's sword. They resolved to take it to Jaenelle and Saetan, to see if they could make any sense of it with Craft.

Lucivar then made a comment about Rand having to _win_ the sword back from him, receiving a resounding smack on the arm from Min. The effect of the playful blow from the diminutive woman on Lucivar's awesomely muscular shoulder was comparable to a bee attempting to conquer an elephant in single combat. She rubbed her hand and reddened in the face, but held her grin as the much larger men eyed her curiously. She boldly held their gazes. She maintained her smile, but let the two men know with her eyes, without a doubt, that Rand's possessions were _her_ possessions. She would defend them fiercely if she felt she had to, and although she might not be a warrior of Lucivar's ability, she was _not_ a woman to be disregarded.

Tension hung in the air around the three for only a moment, then Lucivar's slightly surprised and uncertain expression melted back into its habitual smiling ease and he began chuckling. His chuckle sent Min and Daemon off as well, so they stood about giggling and chortling, holding onto each other for support for a few moments. When they had all calmed again, Lucivar mentioned more seriously how he _would_ actually have to test Rand. He clarified, as he led them to one of the back entrances to SaDiablo Hall, that any person wearing a weapon around the Hall had to be tested for proficiency with their chosen weapon and meet an exacting standard of performance and fitness. Standards set, of course, by Lucivar.

This discussion lasted until Daemon split off somewhere on the main floor of the hall and Lucivar and Min separated on the second floor, each to get prepared for lunch. With no need to bathe yet, Min merely stared around the room for a few minutes, waiting to go down for the meal. The room she had been given for the balance of her stay was incredibly comfortable. A bed at least nine feet by nine feet stood in the corner under a canopy of dark, richly varnished wood. The engravings on the canopy matched perfectly with engravings throughout the room, from the very lightly gilded trestle tables just inside the door, to the massive armoire situated at an angle across the far corner from the door, and the inside of the door itself. Even to Min, who in the last year had been in several of the most sumptuous palaces and enormous fortifications in her world, this room oozed class and wealth. She was impressed that it was also so warm-feeling, she would love to finish a place like this for herself and Rand someday.

Her romantic contemplations were interrupted when she heard a light knock on her door. She quickly got up, smoothed her pants and opened the door. Clarity and Jaenelle stood together in the hallway, both with expectant expressions on their faces. Min fought not to laugh in those faces, Jaenelle's expression alone was quite a sight. Not often had Min seen a woman of Jaenelle's stature looking as if she was about to receive a fantastic, unanticipated gift. The look of eager happiness in Clarity's eyes and his wolfie-smile made her crack up. "Okay, okay," she giggled, "I know that look, what trouble are you two going to drag me into?"

Giggling now too, Jaenelle said, "Why, no trouble of course. It's just that Clarity here has been telling me that you two seem to get along."

"Why yes, he is a very nice wolf, but he did leave me to Surreal and Lucivar's tender mercies earlier this morning." She shot the wolf a mock-accusing glare and was pole-axed when he gave a perfect cringe and whine, followed by a beaming wolfie-grin.

Jaenelle dissolved into giggles like a teenage girl again, and Min joined her. When she could breathe again, Jaenelle said, "If you are willing, I could teach you a way to communicate fully with Clarity. I can see your confusion, so let me explain. Clarity is Kindred, a word meaning animals who use Craft. He is Blood like we are Blood. He recently completed his Offering to the Darkness, our ritual of attaining adulthood. He is an Ebon-gray Jeweled Warlord Prince, which places him very high in our society's hierarchy. He belongs to a pack, but there are older males with claims on the females. For now he has decided to attach himself to you."

"If you would like to be able to speak with him as clearly as you are now with me, I'll happily teach you. It is mind to mind contact, so you just think the words you want to say, then project them into his head. It will be a lot easier than it sounds if you join with me in the first level of your barriers."

Min needed to explain to Jaenelle that she couldn't channel or do Craft, or at least not consciously. "Erm, Jaenelle, we need to set some things straight here. In my world, Craft is called the True Source, or more often the One Power. It is divided in half into saidin for men, and saidar for women..." The perceptive and vivacious young woman continued for a long while, explaining to Jaenelle what she knew about her aberrant talent, and how it had left her completely since her arrival in Kaleer. She was interrupted by Clarity bumping his head against her leg vigorously, after what had felt like a very short time talking with Jaenelle.

"He says it's lunchtime, and you should be eating burnt cow while he goes on his watch for 'the rounds' this afternoon," Jaenelle said simply, smiling widely at Min's questioning look. "He also adds that he has arranged for Saetan to escort you around the Hall this afternoon while he is busy. Don't look at _me_ that way, Min, he's taken it upon himself to ensure that you're safe until Rand recovers sufficiently." Clarity growled softly at that and lowered his head into Min's lap. "It's a very sweet gesture, but Clarity, you know that if Rand has a prior claim on Min's affections you will have to yield. Anyway Min, there is time for Kindred speaking lessons, and discussing Power and politics tomorrow. We'll walk you to the lunchroom, but then I have to prepare for the ceremony tonight."

Min found herself approaching a large black table with several people at it she had never seen before. She smiled and nodded to them as she rounded an end of the table, splitting away from Jaenelle, and as she did she caught the eye of the knife-wielding woman from earlier. Surreal didn't bother with niceties such as smiles and nods, no, she leapt up from the table as soon as she saw Min and opened her mouth.

Min was certain this long black haired, golden-green eyed beauty was going to humiliate her in front of all these strangers, and so was very pleasantly shocked when called out to loudly, but not obnoxiously. "Min, I've been hearing about you and your man Rand all morning. Come, take a place beside me and we will regale each other with wild tales of love and adventure!"

What could have been a rocky start with the firebrand named Surreal had been averted by Min's composure and attitude on the training grounds. Surreal took to her, and Min found herself sincerely enjoying the feisty witch's company as the afternoon waned. The two had retired to a nearby sitting room after munching on delicious mini-sandwiches with an astounding variety of meats, cheeses, dips and spreads, many of which Min had never heard of before. All of which, however, were delectable.

Saetan stopped by several times, ostensibly stretching his stiff knee, to find the women in animated discussion of one topic or another that was obviously not material for 'Uncle Saetan' to listen in on. Certainly not for him to offer an opinion or elucidation upon. He chuckled to himself and thought of the _many_ centuries he had been well known, and feared, as the most powerful man ever born in the Realms. These ruminations, most of them of an explicitly sexual nature, beguiled him as he made another circuit of the hallways, wandering and putzing about the large structure. It was quite some time before Saetan approached the youthful women again. He explained that he was going to rest for the remainder of the afternoon and evening in preparation for the ritual at midnight. Though neither woman was needed for the weaving of Healing spells, he was sure that Min would not be left out and he invited Surreal to come as well.

"Well Hell, I'll definitely be there if you don't mind, Min." Surreal turned to the younger woman and received an eager nod in reply. "Alrighty, that means we have to be awake again in less than seven hours. I'll bet you're tired already after spending so long in bed and this being your first day up. I've got nowhere to be right now and was up most of last night with a great book I just couldn't put down, so let's head back to your room and crash. You're on the second floor in the family wing, right?" She grabbed the smaller woman by the hand and nodded curtly to Saetan's gently amused, smiling countenance on their way from the chamber. Surreal chuckled to herself when she noticed the uncertain look on Min's face at the nomenclature used for the section of the structure Surreal was dragging Min to. "No matter, we'll find it."

Min felt slightly strange being drawn into her bedroom by another woman, stripping down almost completely, and hopping into bed next to her. "Surreal seems comfortable at the Hall, and everyone knows her well. Doesn't she have a room of her own in the massive building? Maybe she thinks I need moral support or something," Min wondered. She decided it didn't matter. There was probably enough room for five women their size in that bed, and she soon succumbed to the exhaustion she had held at bay by willpower alone all afternoon.


	6. Chapter 6 The Ritual Chamber

**Chapter 6** - The Ritual Chamber

The group gathering in Saetan's basement ritual chamber was somber. Jaenelle, Karla and Gabrielle had woven a multitude of different webs. There were nine separate types of web ready to be used, with identically crafted extras in case they needed more Power than they'd anticipated, or if the healing took much longer than the three witches believed it would. Saetan stood at the head of the table within arms reach of Rand's head. He had brought only one web tonight. His web would trap and control Rand's sleeping mind, reducing the possibility of the young man jeopardizing his Healing either physically or mentally. A loose mental block could ruin everything, an inadvertent attempt to cast by this patient would warp the incoming flows into something unrecognizable.

It was a half hour to midnight yet when all had arrived. The three witches responsible for the weaving and singing, as well as setting the pace, were of course the only three combination Black Widow/Healer/Queens in existence: Jaenelle, Gabrielle and Karla. Saetan's role tonight, Jaenelle informed them, was to monitor his own web holding Rand's mind quiet, but at the same time he was to act as a referee of sorts. Being the most experienced by _far_ with regard to Craft of the mind, he would monitor and manage the Power input and general flow of the weaving. They were hoping to Heal all three strange wounds tonight, simultaneously, Gabrielle and Karla planned to focus on the two wounds on Rand's torso while Jaenelle worked on his mind.

In grave tones, Jaenelle warned them all. "None of us in this room have ever seen this type of sickness before. Everyone who has closely examined Rand has agreed that these are malignant forces, alien to this young man's body. Each wound in itself should be life-threatening, but Rand's body has somehow stopped them from spreading or suppurating. What they _are_ able to do is to cause him unimaginable pain, constantly." The only sound in the room was a slight gasp from Min, on hearing such a grim diagnosis. "I am sorry to alarm you, Min, but we must be prepared for all contingencies. These 'afflictions' are slippery; they are either resistant to our lighter weaves or respond with self-destructive measures, sacrificing a small part to save the whole. It is almost enough to make Karla and I believe these may be physically separate but related independent entities. Therefore, there will be _no surrender_ in this room tonight." Her voice had changed in a heartbeat, from Healer giving information to Queen demanding service, but no one missed it.

"Min has told us of a passive weave, constantly in minor flux, that connects her to Rand here. This bond only relays strong feelings of emotion and intense pain, which we should be able to avoid by keeping him comatose. Because of this, Min and Surreal, no matter what happens tonight I _order_ you not to interfere with Craft." Both women readily nodded at Jaenelle's steely gaze. "Good. We may actually need you to run things for us, or for you to speak to Rand, Min. Daemon, I want you to remain near Surreal and Min, more to be out of my way than anything. You are Saetan's backup tonight. If he starts to lose control, you should be able to bolster his actions as moderator. Stay under his command unless he succumbs to the strain. If he does, you immediately take control. As to weaving and the song, Gabrielle, you have control if I fail."

The Queen surveyed the chamber and asked, "Are there any questions?" She made sure every person in the room met her eyes and shook their heads. As her glance stopped last on Min, and saw the frightful expression on the pretty young woman's face, Jaenelle's Queenly sternness faded momentarily. "What you are about to witness will seem very strange to you, I am sure. If you find any of the melodies are especially pleasing to you, you may hum along. It may help to calm Rand some, and it will help to relax you as well." With that last aside to Min, Jaenelle had covered as many issues as she thought she could, and so she raised her ceremonial dagger and began the ritual.

Hours later, Saetan led the way out of his ritual chamber, stopping only to ensure that Daemon, as the last one out, put a Black Lock on the room before they left. They all trudged wearily to the sitting room next to his main study and collapsed, or eased into their respective chairs. True to his nature, Mr. Beale promptly arrived with a large snifter of brandy and a bottle of yarbarah.

As everyone got settled, Saetan spoke up first. "Hells Fire, Mother Night and may the Darkness be merciful!" he cursed vehemently. "That was worse than I could have imagined, and we were damned lucky! Karla's ingenious idea of luring the evil into spelled web whilst healing slowly from the other direction should have done it! I've never felt such pervasive evil and perversion! Even the taint on the Blood before Jaenelle cleansed it fades in comparison to what I just witnessed. And that young man himself is another matter entirely..." His volume died down with the last few words, but the sheer intensity of emotion was palpable.

Jaenelle softly began to speak and everyone listened closely. "His self control and pain threshold are incredible. The fact that he regained consciousness despite the sleep threads in our webs and your dream web," she nodded to Saetan, "shows us clearly that this young man has phenomenal mental strength. This must be analyzed and explored. For now though, it looks as if our Healing was successful, even if it didn't occur quite the way we wished. We examined Rand's wounds closely and concur that he will recover fully, with no trace left of that evil. Min claimed his breathing was better than in a long time by the time we left him to sleep. We all now need to go to our own beds."

"I have been spending a lot of time with him in the last few months. I've slept in his arms a couple of dozen times, at least," Min told the group candidly with the sliver of a voice she had left. "When we left that room he was breathing deeper and smoother, and sleeping far better than I have ever seen him sleep. I don't know what I can do to repay you, but I _will_ do it. Many women called Aes Sedai in my world have tried to Heal Rand with the One Power, but they failed every time. I can't thank you enough."

Daemon came to Min's side at the couch and picked the small woman up easily, even after an exhausting night of Craft usage. She seemed to weigh almost nothing. "You were the one who saved Rand at the critical moment this evening, Min Farshaw. Never forget that," he said gently as he turned and started to exit the room.

The rest had nothing to add to that, so Daemon's departure to take Min to her bedroom acted as a call to disperse. Four spent witches and two drained Warlords trudged off to find their beds, and get some rest. One witch, carried by one of the Warlords, was already asleep and dreaming.

Min's dreams that night were terrible and wonderful - ten parts terrible to one part wonderful. Over and over she relived the ceremony in which she had taken part earlier that night, or morning, as it were.

Everything had been going according to plan until about an hour into the Healing. Feeling completely useless standing against the wall, Min had focused her attention on Saetan after her fascination at the way these women wielded their strange Craft had waned slightly. The women sang in a language Min had never heard and cut their own wrists with daggers, dripping the blood onto fibres that looked like spider-silk woven over small wooden frames. They swayed slightly as they sang or hummed, but other than that, they looked as if they were not doing anything at all.

Min knew better than that. As soon as the first drop of blood hit the first web, Min felt... Something. She couldn't _see_ anything happening, but the air in the room fairly crackled. As time went by the feeling inside her increased incrementally, feeling as though someone were tickling the back of her mind. The sensation was small, a minor annoyance at first, but she soon focused on Saetan's face, trying to read his expressions in order to distract herself from the unsettling sensation. The aristocratic older man coolly and calmly surveyed the scene. Every few seconds his eyes would shift from one of the witches performing the Healing to another, darting his golden gaze to her once to give Min a quick wink. She took confidence in his unruffled poise.

About an hour into the ritual, Min had realized the sensation she felt when the Healing began was actually two separate, disparate feelings. The one that she felt solely in her head continued to feel strange, still increasing very slowly, but not alarmingly. The other feeling picked up by some sixth sense was quite different. This one wasn't uncomfortable exactly, though it raised the hairs on her neck and arms initially, it didn't slacken or increase in the least for the rest of the ritual ceremony. The only way she could think to describe it was as if a massive weight of Power hung over them all, held back by a sieve of some kind. Only the Power flowing through the sieve touched anybody, and although it touched everyone, Rand was the only person it entered.

Min had never before been able to feel women or men channeling in her world, but she was wondering if she could feel this new 'Blood Magic' when Saetan's expression changed dramatically. His face moved into an expression Min could tell it didn't often take; shock, mixed with a small part incredulous awe.

"Min, please come here," he said clearly but still calmly without shifting his eyes from the patient in front of him. "Rand, you are safe and Min is right here," he continued in his calm but firm tone. "If you can hear me, young man, channeling right now is a _very_ bad idea. I can feel the amount of Power you have in your very fingertips, and if you wish the Healing we are attempting now to have a positive effect, you will release it immediately."

As Saetan spoke, Min rushed to the head of the bare black slab of rock upon which Rand lay. She reached out to place her hands on either side of Rand's head, before she remembered her promise not to interfere. She looked up quickly to Jaenelle and was relieved when the woman nodded for Min to go ahead. "Rand," she said into his clear, open eyes, holding his head and leaning right over his face. "These are good people and we are safe for now, _please_ let them finish!"

"It would be best for you to relax as much as possible with your eyes closed until we finish," Jaenelle directed Rand in a gentle but businesslike tone, after he released saidin without destroying anything or attempting to escape. She also slowly released the breath she had been holding for what had felt like an hour. The sight of Min above him had done wonders. His face turned from harshly suspicious, barely concealed rage to serene acceptance in a moment.

"These people are Healers," Min went on to explain. "They use a force very different from the One Power, but they think they can Heal you for good. The gateway you made in the White Tower somehow sucked us into this strange world, but we'll worry about that after you're all fixed-up. Just relax and stay calm. I won't leave your side."

Min stayed at his head and gently stroked his red hair as the ceremony continued. When Rand had awoken the tingling in Min's brain increased dramatically, but she had been too busy to question it. Now that Rand was lying peacefully still with his eyes closed, she analyzed the tingling and understood it at last. It was the bond she had with Rand, the Warder-like bond that Aviendah and Elayne had engineered and applied to all four of them. Now somehow she was feeling the Craft as it settled into Rand, only through Rand's perspective. She was ruminating on this when Rand's expression changed only slightly, and she felt a razor-sharp spike of pain through their bond which quickly stabilized at a considerably higher pitch.

Min had grown used to the small but distinct sensation of pain that his body constantly endured, arriving in her head via the link, and still she was unprepared for the agony that swamped her brain in that moment. "Oh, Rand!" Min exclaimed as she swayed and almost fell. Saetan helped by immediately placing his hands under her armpits and easing her down to her knees, stepping close up behind Min to provide extra support if necessary. He then turned his attention back to the three witches still singing and humming.

Min's head hurt so intensely that her eyes teared as she knelt with her eyes closed and her head on the slab directly beside Rand's. With the right side of her head touching her lover's left ear and temple, Min used the sound of the women's voices rising and falling in ancient, foreign rhythms to pull her mind away from the pain. Primal and compelling, intricate and haunting, the music pulled at her and soothed her in ways she had never experienced. This music had Power, and Min was surprised and pleased to hear and feel a connection of sorts with one strain of the music in particular. She had never been much for singing, but she had spent many an hour humming pleasantly as she curried horses, and many more in accompaniment to Thom Merrilin, who brought music of one kind or another wherever he went.

Pushing the pain aside Min joined in the song, losing herself. Humming strange, alien music with all her heart she poured her good feelings into the song. The moments she had shared with Rand played before her mind's eye. She captured the warm laughter with him, her ferocious worries about him, and most of all the incandescent love they felt for each other, and she channeled those feelings into the Healing song.

She was provided by Daemon with a thick, soft couch pillow to kneel on sometime during the next several hours, as well as having him lift her head very gently periodically and lean her back enough to pour small amounts of water down her throat. He had also found a thick layer of red silk to cushion her forehead. The pain in her head, reflecting the pain in Rand's, remained fairly steady until the last half hour.

She didn't see Rand's face when the pain ramped up sharply again, the muscles around his eyes all snapping iron-taut and his jaw clenching hard enough to crack teeth, but she surely felt it as it flowed into her quickly and viciously. Her humming faltered as she let out a low, excruciated moan at the blazing onset of this new surge of anguish. A moment later the tenacious young woman once again forced her failing voice into harmony and continued the song with only slightly diminished intensity. The only outward sign of pain Rand showed, other than the tightening of his facial muscles, was a low, almost inaudible groan that flowed from his mouth with every exhalation of breath.

The entire Healing was difficult, but the last half hour tapped the reserves of everyone in the room. All three of the women who had controlled the flows of Power were drenched with sweat and breathing heavily when they finished their analysis of Rand's body. They then confirmed the success of the healing with Saetan and Daemon. Saetan informed the Healers that he had drained his Black Jewels completely, and significantly depleted his Red Jewel. Daemon had come dangerously close to exhaustion as well, feeding Saetan enough Power to stay conscious while both acted as moderators.

Jaenelle had been frankly amazed when the young man had gone back to sleep on his own, almost as soon as he was Healed. Rand had listened intently as she explained the webs she had woven to continue the soft-tissue Healing as well as the ones to ensure a deep, restful sleep. He smiled contentedly at Min when she kissed him and said she would see him later, and then he dropped off to sleep as easily as if blowing out a lamp.

Saetan had had to help Min to her feet when they finished, and hold her arm for much-needed support as they started to move. Even Surreal was exhausted from the tension, so it was a very fatigued group that left the chamber early in the morning.

Min tossed and turned, reliving snippets of Rand's Healing ceremony in her dreams. Terrible fear and anxiety battled wonderful freedom and hope. Thankfully, as the hours went by her dreams more often let her recall the very few minutes she and Rand had spent with heads together on the ritual slab, reveling in the freedom from pain and the sheer joy of being safe and in each other's company.


	7. Chapter 7 Proper Introductions

**Chapter 7** - Proper Introductions

When Rand woke up he lay very still for several minutes, breathing deeply without pain for the first time since his unfortunate run-in with a staff-wielding Forsaken in Falme. As he raised his head and shifted himself to a seated position on the side of the cot, he scanned the room quickly, taking only a second to catalogue and analyze the small room, and all of its adornments. He was obviously in a basement room somewhere, a room that was not used often but kept meticulously clean. The room was used for training and learning about the One Power, he reasoned, though he had vague memories of Min telling him the people here use a different Power. Everything he saw in the room was plain, but exquisitely well made. The incredible size of the black stones used to construct this level of the building boggled Rand's mind. In the 'Age of Legends' fantastic structures had been built with sweat, raw materials, absurdly intricate machinery and the use of the One Power. Scouring Lews Therin's memories, Rand failed to find a comparable example of architecture. Architectural arts, and knowledge that was crucially important for the construction of truly massive structures and machines, had been lost for centuries in his world because of 'The Breaking of the World'. Even accounting for lost techniques, Rand suspected, thanks to Lews Therin's memories, that the proportions of this building overshadowed anything that had been erected or constructed, ever, in the histories of his world. "This is going to be interesting," he thought to himself.

He was sitting on a small cot set in what he determined to be the back corner of the roughly rectangular room, along the longest wall. There were two wooden cabinets which covered the wall opposite his cot from floor to ceiling. They were neither carved nor gilded but lacquered heavily, making them shine even in the weak glow from the two small lights mounted somehow around the walls. All of the cabinetwork was made of some beautiful black wood Rand had never before seen. A desk a few feet from the foot of Rand's bed was fabricated with the same material, with the same scrupulous attention to quality and detail as the cabinets. The door hanging in the middle of the short wall that cut diagonally through the far corner was also built from the lovely wood. In the center of the room sat an enormous chunk of black stone cut into a rectangle. It stood a good three feet high, about the same wide, and almost eight feet long.

"Whoever owns this property is very wealthy, _and_ tasteful," he thought, a combination Rand had noticed was not as common as one may think. He chuckled to himself at the audacity of a shepherd to comment on the predilections of a Lord or King as he rose and stretched. He twisted and bent slowly to relieve the kinks that the long spell of laying inert had left in his tall and lanky, yet deceptively muscular frame. He then energetically moved about the room in wonder, capering about in his underwear in a mock battle against a very skilled, imaginary opponent. As he bounded completely over the slab of rock in a vigorous and intricate attack sequence, the tightness on his left side pulled a bit, but was not nearly enough to tear the skin on his torso, nor the grin off his face. How many Aes Sedai had attempted to cure his wounds? How many despaired, well within hearing range of his lamentable but inevitable descent into madness? And how many insisted that the madness could never be cured?

The spring in his step and the clarity of his thoughts entirely convinced him of his complete fitness, and he almost crowed with delight at a feeling he had thought lost to him forever. Rand resolved then and there to kiss whosoever had Healed him, and give them anything that was within his Power to bestow. He recalled a woman's soothing voice, telling him that webs were placed to finish the Healing and aid him to sleep. Whatever that meant, he figured that if he was up and about and feeling good, he might as well go find out where he was as the 'webs' must have finished their work.

On top of the desk was a pile of new clothing made of high quality material. Elegant, but simply designed, they were not too foreign to his sensibilities. The deep red, finely woven long-sleeved buttoned shirt was long enough to tuck into a belt or pants. A pair of very comfortable black trousers that fit Rand perfectly and allowed ample room for quick movement, while still looking quite stylish, were folded underneath the shirt. He found new stockings on top of his old brown boots on the floor beside the desk, boots which were buffed and shined like he had never seen them. His sword and scabbard were nowhere to be found. Almost skipping with eagerness he approached the door, grabbed the handle and pulled, already moving to quickly dodge the slab of wood and close it again as he passed through. He was embarrassed and confused, glad the room was empty, when the door refused to open and he pulled himself head-first into the doorframe.

He was sure he had felt the latch turn, but he tried once again at a regular rate of speed, to no effect. After trying and failing several more times, and examining the slab and frame minutely for a physical lock, Rand deduced that it was Power of some sort that held him hostage. There was a large black key-operated lock, but he could see that it was not engaged. The burnished, solid silver latch turned properly, and he could even see the metal piece retracting into the door, but it would not open under any amount of physical force.

Forgetting the magnanimous mood he had been in upon waking, he grew irritated quickly in the small basement room. Seizing saidin, he reveled for a moment at how quickly and easily he had become ready to channel, and he basked in the awesomely heightened senses saidin provided; senses that were not dulled for once by the pain of his torso wounds and the foggy stain on his mind. No dizziness or nausea would trouble him today as he grabbed on to the One Power, nor would it appear again, he suspected.

He threw a quick, small fireball at the door after retreating to a safe distance. A fireball which should have easily incinerated the door, at least, if not the entire frame to the black block-work. The flame was dispersed over a previously invisible Shield the instant it struck. He attempted again with a significantly more powerful casting and received the same outcome, only this time he could see the barrier entire as the fiery, blazing orb washed over it. The Shield holding him in the room was unlike any use of the One Power Rand had ever seen or heard of. The mystery barrier covered the door, the doorjamb, and the casing completely, appearing a fraction of an inch away from the combustable materials when impacted. After a few minutes of stalking back and forth in the small room debating internally the pros and cons of his next idea, he settled on a plan and set to it.

He walked up to the offending door and smashed the side of his right fist against it, or the Shield, several times and listened. After a few moments of straining his ears to hear life on the other side of the door, he thumped the thick slab of wood again a few times and shouted, "Drop the Shield and open this door! I don't _want_ to break it down, but I will!" Once again he waited for a time, hoping for a sign that he would not have to make good on his threat. "Alright, you asked for it. You had better move away if you are out there, because I'm coming out!" Rand bellowed a last warning call before he wove a jet of balefire and shot it at the center of the door.

In abject disbelief, Rand watched the Shield flicker and fade under the onslaught of his bale-jet. Flicker and fade, before snapping back to apparently full size and strength again a second later. Nothing survived balefire, that is what all of his memories said and something everyone (all those aware of the weave's existence) in his own world knew. He did not doubt his eyes, and he was almost always sparing with that specific use of the One Power, so he abandoned his attempts to escape. Instead he paced like a tiger in a cage and pondered a Power that could erase the Dark One's repugnant and filthy taint, as well as weave a defense impervious to balefire.

"Mother Night!" Daemon leapt a good foot straight up from his sleeping position. Rand's first fireball had just splashed against the Shield he had left in place when they all left the ritual chamber only an hour or so before. Kaelas, who had arrived in the night and made himself comfortable in their bed, shot him an annoyed look, but Daemon's attention was elsewhere as the second fireball connected. "Jaenelle, I need you." Not surprised his wife hadn't woken when he stirred, he shook her shoulder gently, then more insistently.

"What? You'd better have a damn good reason for pulling me from that dream, Daemon," a very grumpy and sleepy Jaenelle answered.

"It's Rand, I need to get to him and calm him. I need _Witch_." This was said in an uncharacteristically shaky tone.

She knew by the name he had used and the look in his eyes that he was deadly serious. Her fatigue dropped away as she stood at the side of the bed. "Okay, you contact Chaosti and Lucivar and tell them to meet us there while I get Gabrielle to pick up Karla and meet us as soon as possible. Kaelas, you're with us." It was grumpy wife Jaenelle who first awoke, but The Queen who strode from the room. Kaelas, an eight hundred pound Arcerian Red Jeweled Warlord Prince and Daemon, Black Jeweled Warlord Prince of Dhemlan (and her husband) at her side.

Walking through the halls they could see that they had actually gotten almost four hours of sleep. Jaenelle, Daemon and Kaelas arrived at precisely the same moment as Chaosti and Lucivar came hastening in from the training field. Before Jaenelle could begin to issue commands, Daemon's brother rushed up saying, "What is it Sadi, is he still attacking mindlessly?" He had seen the expression on his older brother's face change when Daemon entered the room. It had gone from commanding assurance to confounded shock, and all Lucivar knew was that the boy Rand was somehow on the verge of breaking Daemon's Black Lock. Since a man must be daft to throw himself whole-heartedly enough at a Black Shielded anything to disrupt it in the least, he assumed the boy was stark-raving mad.

Ashen faced, Daemon softly and slowly replied, "No, no, not mindlessly at all. He has hit the Shield now three times only. I believe the first attack was just a minor test, and yet it woke me from a deep sleep causing me to almost fall out of bed. The second, in terms of Power, was somewhere around what I had predicted his abilities to top out at. But the third... Lucivar, if you did a suicide dive to your core and came right back out at me full-bore, I don't believe you could match the amount of Power Rand just jolted my Shield with."

There was an awed silence in the study for a moment, then Daemon continued, "Someone needs to get in there. I'll go, but a well placed candle-flame would finish my Shield and I don't honestly have much left."

Jaenelle the Queen took charge at that point, making a snap decision. "Daemon, are you sure these strikes were measured and focused?" He nodded slowly, not understanding what she was aiming at. "Lucivar, Chaosti, Kaelas, perimeter positions. And Daemon, you are going to stay outside of this room unless I call for you. Do you understand?" She glared down the objection forming on his lips, then turned to Gabrielle and Marian who had just hurried in carrying Karla between them.

"Rand has broken the sleeping webs and likely the Healing webs we left as well. He is awake and systematically testing the Shield we placed to keep him safe. I believe he is not unreasonable and so I am going in alone. Did you wake Min?" she asked both women at once.

"She should be coming along directly," Marian gave a small grin. "She was totally impossible to wake and we thought we should get Karla and Gabrielle here immediately due to the urgent tone of your message. A servant was finishing the job of hustling her out of bed."

"Lucivar, now that the girls are here I would like you to go chivvy Min along. I want her here, just outside the door if he turns irrational." She nodded to herself, brushed smooth the quite short light blue night-slip she wore and added as she opened the door to the stairs, "And I don't want anyone weaving anything. No Craft without my order. Let the Shield down now Daemon." With that, Jaenelle slipped out of view.

Rand had only been pacing for a few minutes when he felt a distinct tingle, almost identical to the feeling when a woman drew saidar around him. Guessing correctly that the lowering of the Shield was the source, he was as ready as he could be when the door opened inward. A gorgeous, fair skinned and golden-blonde woman walked easily into the room, shut the door behind her, and continued until she stopped only a few feet from him. She gazed up at him with a neutral, yet slightly intrigued look. He took a moment to study her closely and found that he liked what he saw, even if it did look like she had just jumped out of bed. She was not as devastatingly beautiful as Elayne, or pretty like Min, but she was very attractive in her own way. She had the most stunning eyes, dark sapphire like a deep mountain lake.

"I am Jaenelle AngelineSaDiablo, Kaleer's Heart, High Priestess of the Hourglass, and formerly Queen of Ebon Askavi. And you are Rand al'Thor," she stated levelly in a melodious voice that Rand recognized instantly from vague memories of the Healing.

He gave the woman a low bow. "I am Rand al'Thor as you seem to know. Men in my world call me the Dragon Reborn, but I'm not big on titles. I would like to thank you for the Healing I received at your hands, but would you care to explain to me why I've been locked in a basement?" he asked calmly with a slightly upraised eyebrow.

Her eyes moved briefly to his covered arms when he mentioned the word dragon, but now was not the time for that. This was an incredibly tall and powerful man she had no wish to antagonize, yet. She quickly and succinctly explained how he was supposed to have remained asleep for another six or seven hours, at least. She apologized for the misunderstanding, claiming that the unique nature of his arrival necessitated the 'extra precautions', as she called them.

"Is the young woman I Traveled here with safe? Is she held under similar conditions?" His voice grew dangerous and his gray eyes flinty. "I assure you that if she is displeased in any way by the treatment she has received here... Let's just hope she is pleased." He stared straight into the woman's eyes and put centuries of experience behind his cold glare.

Completely unperturbed, Jaenelle held his eyes for a long time then said softly, "Min is fine Rand. She is an honored guest here at the Hall and you will be reunited with her very soon, I promise." Only someone very skilled in observation would have been able to see the slight loosening of his features, but as a Black Widow Jaenelle could tell instantly she had played the right card.

She continued in a low, friendly tone, "There is something I would very much like to show you Rand. Will you trust me?" He cocked his head to the side for just a moment before nodding resolutely. She stepped to within a pace of him, reached over and simply clasped his right hand in both of hers. The world flipped around and Rand found himself standing on what appeared to be partially solidified mist. Peering about he saw Jaenelle in front of him only a couple strides away, but she was the only reference point in this strange place. Everywhere he looked, all he could see was endless mist and deep dark emptiness.

Rand was seriously impressed. He had never Traveled in that fashion before and he was awed by the amount of Power around them. The Darkness itself seemed charged, poised. He figured that to leap away from Jaenelle at any point would be like grabbing on to saidin through a very powerful angreal, a wild ride for control and supremacy that could create wonders or burn out an undisciplined mind in seconds.

"What do you think?" Jaenelle queried.

His excitement must have freed his tongue, because he cheekily asked, "It's a little empty. Do you bring many young men down here?"

Her face reddened and her body shifted, realizing all she wore was a thin blue night-shift and her Twilight's Dawn Jewel, but resolutely she did not look away. He had unwittingly hit a nerve there, and would have to be more careful, Rand thought to himself. She stopped blushing and her tone changed completely from earlier. In a serious, midnight voice she said, "I brought you here to see how you would react to the atmosphere, and also to show you something else. I am Jaenelle AngelineSaDiablo, and I am Witch, Queen of the Darkness." From one second to another the woman Jaenelle changed into... Something else.

She was medium height, slender, and fair-skinned. Her golden mane - not quite hair and not quite fur - was brushed up and back from her exotic face and didn't hide the delicately pointed ears. In the center of her forehead was a tiny, spiral horn. A narrow strip of gold fur traced her spine, ending in a small gold and white fawn tail that flicked over her bare buttocks. The legs were human and shapely but changed below the calf. Instead of feet, she had dainty horse's hooves. Her human hands had sheathed claws like a cat's. As she turned to face Rand squarely he saw the small, round breasts, the feminine curve of waist and hips, and the dark-gold triangle of hair between her legs.

This was something beyond Rand's, and even Lews Therin's experience. The woman was obviously part animal, but those parts only served to heighten her beauty and effect. Instantly there had arisen a raw, palpable sexual tension when she revealed herself, and only a man carved from stone would not have been affected. He looked into the fabulously alluring and completely naked woman's eyes and saw curiosity, amusement in no small measure, and Power beyond his wildest dreams. He also saw an offer of friendship there, without a hint of lust, and was surprised at the acute stab of relief he felt. Min, Elayne and Aviendah might not be quite as Powerful or exotic as Jaenelle appeared, but they were certainly innocuous in comparison to Witch.

"I like the horn," Rand said nonchalantly after cooly running his eyes down her body and back to her face. "I'll bet those claws come in handy too, but I can't help wondering what Witch wears when she goes out dancing." he deadpanned.

Witch let out a delightfully musical tinkle of laughter, and shook her head slowly. "You know, I think we might just get along, Rand." Still smiling, she resolved to assess the extent of his ability. "Back to business. I want to test your capacity to handle this place, if you don't mind. Your strength of Craft, or your capacity to hold saidin varies greatly and we, my family and I that is, would like to understand. Let me know when you become uncomfortable."

"I shall," he announced while still holding her eyes and his big grin.

Witch slowly let her grip on the Abyss ease, watching this Rand al'Thor closely. Too much pressure too fast would kill anyone but her, so she chatted as she continued to loosen her hold on the incredible Power that surrounded them both, this deep in the Abyss of her mind. "The way we access our Power differs greatly, and the forms that our Powers take when channeled or woven do as well. But there are similarities between us I sincerely believe are worth researching. Min has mentioned a war on your world against something she calls the 'Dark One'. I would like to tell you of a war that my family and friends fought in our Realms, or our world recently. You see..."

She went on to list the salient points of The Purging as she steadily increased the amount of Power she let touch Rand. Then she launched into a detailed explanation of the Caste system that operated in her Realms, and the Protocols engendered by the system. For quite some time Witch chattered away. She told Rand he was definitely a Warlord Prince, and informed him that Min appeared to have Craft ability also. As she spoke, she closely observed the young man for signs of strain and saw none. In fact, he was eagerly listening to her diatribe and appeared blithely unmindful of the intense pressures seeking to break his mind. There were _very_ few people who could survive such severe stresses, so she gave up on pushing him for the present.

"Please don't be upset if someone calls you a 'dark one' or something of the like while you are in our Realms, as here the Darkness is all around us," Witch continued. "We see it as untamed Chaos and use it as the essence of our Craft. We are now deep in a place within my own mind known as the Abyss. All who wear Jewels, or are performing ceremonies to attain them, descend as far as they are able to within their own minds. This is the source of the Power we carry stored in our Jewels, and the place we go to recharge them. Each individual's strength in Power is contingent on the Darkness of their Jewels, and that corresponds to how deep into this Power-wrought nothingness one can go during a formal ceremony in this world. So you understand the situation, Rand. I'll tell you that my husband Daemon is one of the two most powerful men ever born in our Realms, in our world entirely. He wields a Black Jewel. Your three probing attacks on his Black Shield came very close to breaking through, and that is something no-one without a Jewel of significant strength should have been able to do."

"I understand. By the Light, I swear I will not attack anyone who doesn't overtly threaten myself or Min," he said easily and continued eagerly. "I too am very interested in sharing knowledge as I never had a real teacher. Men who channeled the One Power in my world all went mad before I cleansed the Taint, at least those who weren't sworn in service to the Dark One."

"Great." Witch grinned, floated over to him, and held out her hand for Rand to clasp. "Now let's head back, calm a few people down, and get you into Min's arms."

He smiled back enthusiastically and grabbed her hand, and the world flipped.

Rand and Jaenelle stood holding hands in the room in which he had been imprisoned. "That was... interesting," he commented as he stepped forward and gestured toward the door. "Shall we, Lady?"

"Of course, and thank you, Warlord," she responded as she glided past Rand and led him up the stairs after he smoothly opened the door for her.

Rand saw a couple very startling sights as he came to the top of the stairs leading from the basement room in which he had been Healed. He had time only to register the huge white tiger sitting in the middle of the room's only exit and the heavily muscled, large-winged man standing beside it before a flying body impacted with him.

"Oh Rand, I'm so happy you're awake!" Min cried, after leaping into his arms and almost causing them both to fall down the stairs he had just ascended. "Daemon told me you tried to break his shield, you wool-headed idiot." She laughed as she showered kisses on his completely healed and, thankfully, still handsome face. "These are good people and I trust them, so you be on your best behavior or I'll smack you."

"Yes darling," he chuckled lovingly as he lowered her to the ground and wrapped his handless left arm around her. He cradled her small, perfectly irresistible face in his right hand, "anything you say." He then kissed her soundly and fervently.

Their reunion caused the other women in the room to loosen, but five sets of hard eyes watched Rand very carefully. No strange noises or Craft had emerged from the basement room, but the time Jaenelle had spent acquainting herself with Rand only served to heighten the tension in the Warlords waiting outside.

"Relax, boyos, everything is going to be just fine," Jaenelle had immediately caught on to the state of readiness in her males. "Rand has sworn not to use his Power against others unless he or Min are threatened. It is our responsibility to see they do _not_ feel threatened in SaDiablo Hall," she decreed with a warm voice and a smile to all of them as she walked slowly over to Daemon and slid under his arm and against his side.

Rand was impressed again, seeing all four men relax their postures at these three short sentences. There was no question of who ruled here. The huge white tiger sitting in the center of the doorway had stared hard at Rand when he came up the stairs, but had not moved a muscle. It didn't move after Jaenelle's comment, just rotated its immense head to look at her. Rand got the impression that the cat was ready to explode into furiously violent action even when asleep, and may be slightly put out by having this morning's fun obstructed. Witch's explanation of Jewels fresh in his mind, Rand peered closely at the Warlord. He saw a Red Jewel barely peeking out of the black-striped white fur. It was attached to a collar of sorts around the tiger's thick neck.

Even discounting the tiger, which would be a very silly thing to do, Rand knew, the group of men facing him was a formidable crew. The most blatantly aggressive was the golden-brown skinned, gold eyed, bat-winged fellow. He stood only a few inches shorter than Rand, had long black hair, and though his hands were empty, the corded muscles of his arms and legs twitched as if he wished for permission to pummel Rand. At Jaenelle's dictum the muscles in his shoulders and forearms eased, he pulled the huge black wings spread out behind him back in, and he nodded solemnly. He wore only an Ebon-gray Jewel on a gold neck-chain that hung above a naked chest defined by slabs of dense muscle, and short, three-quarter length soft brown trousers. He was undoubtedly a fighter, a man dangerous with any weapon or none at all.

The next man to catch Rand's attention was the one holding Jaenelle tightly. Rand had met Galadedrid Damodred a long time ago it seemed, in the world he had somehow Traveled to this place from. He wondered how the women of his world would react to a man who outshone Galad, and surpassed him even while looking as if he hadn't slept in a long time. This man was not merely handsome, he was beautiful. Somehow the beauty and fatigue detracted not at all from the sense of Power and grace that exuded from his every pore. Tall and broad-shouldered, though not quite as tall or wide as the winged man, he was very fit and stood with the confidence of a Blademaster, or that of a Lord used to having his demands obeyed speedily without question. Like the other man, this one had penetrating golden eyes, golden skin and black hair, but Rand noticed this man wore the nails on both hands long and had them painted black. His hair stopped well short of the collar of his loosely cut white silk shirt and he wore baggy black silk pants with no shoes. From a gold chain around his neck, Rand could see a Black Jewel hanging down and glistening dully. Jaenelle held on to the man and spoke softly in his ear as Rand continued his marking of potential adversaries.

The third man Rand sized up was not _quite_ as impressive as the other two. He was of moderate height and slim, with long unbound silver hair and woodland blue-grey eyes. An attractive man, and well proportioned, his beauty and presence were eclipsed in the company of the first two men. He wore a Gray Jewel on a silver necklace, a brown sleeveless shirt, long matching pants, and a pair of soft-looking short black boots. A very attractive woman with similarly unbound silver hair stood beside him. They both had delicately pointed ears and the same fair skin tone.

The last man in the room was the only one Rand felt he could put safely out of his mind if things got violent. Rand had no _real_ idea of the strength and capabilities of these people's Craft, so he didn't know how effective the Red Jewel hanging from the man's neck may be. However, the last man appeared a good twenty years older than anyone else in the room and was portly, certainly not physically imposing enough to cause Rand much trouble in a physical confrontation. The man was dressed strangely in comparison to the others, only partly because he was dressed for the day, not for bed. He wore a button up coat with some kind of crest or insignia on the breast, neatly pressed black pants and tall shiny black boots.

Rand figured the man was a servant who had just happened to be present when Rand arrived from the basement. The guess was proved to be astute when the chubby man eased his glaring at Rand after Jaenelle's proclamation and announced to the room, "Since everyone was up, Mrs. Beale has had breakfast organized for all in the small dining room."

"Perfect," Jaenelle gladly responded. "I'm starving. Let's go for breakfast after proper introductions. Rand al'Thor, this is Daemon SaDiablo, my husband. He is also the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan." She grinned and led the beautiful man over to meet Rand. The man stopped a couple of feet away from Rand and Min and gave a small bow with a tired smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you, Rand," Daemon said in a rich, mellifluous voice. "I sincerely hope the rest of your stay here in Kaleer is less exciting than the first few days have been. Min has been very worried about you."

"Good to meet you too, Daemon. I'm sorry about the way I tested your Shield earlier. I tend to get a little agitated when held without my consent," Rand apologized easily. "I've had problems in my world with people trying to manipulate me, control me, abduct me, or just right-out kill me off. I woke up alone, locked in a room I didn't recognize, and had no surety of Min's safety," he explained.

Daemon just smiled and nodded, whereas the winged man walked right up to Rand and slapped him on the left shoulder with a rock-hard, callused hand, giving Min a private grin. "Any one of us would have done the same thing, old boy. Hell, I definitely wouldn't have been as calm about it, either. I'm Lucivar Yaslana, Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih and Master of the Guard. This big kitty here is Kaelas, he's one of the Kindred Arcerian cats who come to visit at the Hall. The beautiful woman with the wings is my wife, Marian," the heavily muscled man turned back, pointing to the tiger, and gently squeezed the slim and moderately tall woman who had accompanied him forward.

"A pleasure to meet you," Rand was shyly told by Marian as she and her husband backed away. Marian's dark green short-sleeved shirt was finely woven, rich in color and texture but showcasing a refreshing simplicity of style. It had a low v-neck, allowing Rand to see the Purple-Dusk Jewel hanging from a gold necklace above her ample breasts, and was tailored at the back to accommodate her large, black wings. Her pants were black and similarly made, expensive cloth cut in a comfortable and sensible fashion. There was small but tasteful embroidery along the stitching, and she wore light brown leather sandals with no stockings. Like her husband she had golden-brown skin, golden eyes and long, straight black hair.

Rand smiled at Marian, and chuckled internally at the monstrous tiger being called a 'kitty' as he greeted the two cordially. When Lucivar and Marian stepped back, the lithe, silver-haired man took their place. At his side was the tall, slim woman with exactly the same silver hair colour. She was the only woman Rand had seen in this world wearing a dress. The bodice of her exquisite gown was a rich, deep blue, but at her waist the color faded into a pale, cool blue that went right down to the floor. She wore a glittering Red Jewel on a silver chain around her neck that contrasted dazzlingly with the opulent hue of her dress. After the two glided up smoothly and nodded to Min and Rand, the man curtly informed Rand, "My name is Chaosti. I am Warlord Prince of the Dea al Mon , and this is Gabrielle, my wife, Queen of the Dea al Mon ."

Gabrielle smiled as she greeted him, shaking her head in amazement at his incredible recovery, "I'm happy to see you up and about, Rand. I thought you would probably need a few day's rest. We weren't sure how you would react to the Healing webs after the evil was drawn out or burned away."

The only woman Rand had yet to meet hobbled over on her canes and bare feet to Gabrielle's side. Her Gray Jewel swung on its chain, her loose, white silk bed-clothes flapped about her, and her short white-blonde hair was sticking up everywhere. She began in a hectoring tone, skewering Rand with her glacially cold blue eyes, "Jaenelle and Gabrielle and I worked our butts off designing those webs and working to free you from that horrible taint. We've never seen anything like it. Can you explain to us how you ended up with two horrific wounds and..."

Jaenelle cut her off with a firm, but friendly tone, "Karla, we can go into this later. Rand just woke up. At least let him have some breakfast. Karla, meet Rand al'Thor. Rand, this is Karla, Queen of Glacia. The older man who just left is Mr. Beale, the Hall's butler and houseman. I don't know about all of you, but I'm hungry. Follow me Rand," Jaenelle ordered, firmly quashing any further discussion and led the group from the study to the dining hall.


	8. Chapter 8 Power and Politics

**Chapter 8** - Power and Politics

Min held tightly to Rand as they filed into the dining room and took places around the large rectangular table. She was curious what had transpired between Jaenelle and Rand in that basement, but as they walked she told Rand the little about Kaleer she had been able to learn so far. He had heard some of what she related to him, but she was ablaze with excitement so he listened indulgently as she babbled on. She explained how the Blood are matriarchal, Queens were the focal point of this society, and how women were _born_ with certain characteristics that mark them as a Queen. The Queens ruled everything from villages to huge territories the equivalent of several countries in Min's world. Sometimes there are several Queens in a territory, and so there are District Queens who operate under Provincial Queens, as well as a Territory Queen who oversees the whole area. It was all very strange to Min and Rand, who came from a place with hereditary titles, nobles and ruling dynasties. It was not impossible to do in their world, but going from poor obscurity to the position of ruler was very difficult and rare.

Jaenelle took over for Min at that point. "It is more likely for a Queen to be born into a family with Queens in their line before, but any Blood female birthed in our Realms stands a chance of being a Queen." She then described in detail, for the second time to Rand but the first to Min, the Caste system that had been established in her world. She also told them of the Protocols and how they developed, the subtle checks and balances of Power among the Blood. With occasionally interjected comments from the others, Jaenelle explained how the Blood are caretakers of the Realms. She explained some of the ways Queens, Black Widows, Healers, Priestesses, Princes and Warlord Princes could be distinguished from one another, and their respective positions and responsibilities in society.

While Jaenelle was talking, everyone loaded their plates from the huge amount of food covering the center of the table. There were pastries, eggs cooked several different ways, three different types of breakfast meat and fruit of every shape and colour. Rand's appetite was prodigious, so he cleared and refilled his plate several times while listening avidly to Jaenelle's rambling address. He and Min commented and asked questions occasionally, especially when told they were both powerful enough to wear Jewels.

The Offering to the Darkness, an intriguing yet terrifying ceremony that all of the Blood perform in order to attain their adult Jewels, was explained in a cool and dispassionate tone by Daemon. He told how Jewel strength was determined by how deeply into one's own mind a person is able to delve during the formal ceremony. He elucidated by saying that the Darkness traveled through deep within the mind was capable of breaking an unprepared or weak mind, that some Blood leave the Offering ceremony with only the Jewel they received in their Birthright ceremony. Min couldn't stop a chilly, discomfited shudder when Daemon also disclosed, in a dry, indolent voice devoid of its usual warmth, how Rand and Min had no Birthright Jewels, so would have to be especially careful not to be driven insane attempting to go deeper into the Abyss than they can handle.

Jaenelle said that Min should be capable of attaining a Tiger Eye or maybe a Rose strength Jewel, and that Jaenelle herself would soon start instructing her in the Craft of a Black Widow, enlisting Min into the Hourglass. Min was excited and eager. She had confided to Jaenelle about seeing auras around various people in her own world, how what she foresaw always came true, and how her visions had stopped when she arrived in Kaleer. Jaenelle told her that Min would be able to learn to control them, and hopefully understand them, as well as learning a host of other interesting things. Jaenelle also told Rand that Saetan and Daemon would train him as a Black Widow, as he had clearly demonstrated the requisite mental fortitude. She remained silent, however, on what Jewel she thought Rand would wear when Rand asked.

Rand and Min were amazed and fascinated when Daemon placed his right hand palm-up on the table and flexed his ring finger. From beneath the long black-tinted nail a snake tooth emerged, small but sharp. Daemon explained how a poison sac underneath his nail was connected to the tooth, and how each Black Widow's poison differed in strength based upon the Darkness of their Jewels. He went on to tell them how to care properly for the tooth, if they grew one of their own, the ingestion of poison to balance their systems, and some of the benefits of being a Black Widow.

Min had been watching Rand's face when Jaenelle mentioned Saetan, and had noticed his curiosity at being told another Black Widow, as well as Daemon, would assist in his training. Until Jaenelle had said it, Min had had no idea Black Widows existed at all. She had assumed Daemon and Saetan's long black nails were a status symbol, somewhat like the Seanchan idiosyncrasy. Min mentioned the Seanchan affectation aloud, which sparked a lively conversation about her world and how they identified enemies and gauged their Power. The people from Kaleer were shocked to find out that in Min and Rand's world there were no conspicuous signs that assisted in the measuring of a person's strength, nor was there any way to discern if a person was capable of channeling the One Power at all without getting very close, or if that person was already channeling. They were _very_ interested when Rand informed them of a weave that allowed a person to completely mask their ability to channel.

Everyone had finished eating and servants had cleared the table when Jaenelle suggested they embark on an exploratory tour of the Hall. The idea was a popular one, as everyone had eaten well and the day was beautiful. Those still dressed for bed quickly went to change and promptly returned. Everyone but Gabrielle and Chaosti, who said they had something to discuss, followed Jaenelle and Daemon through the main floor and out the beautifully carved, gigantic black wooden entry doors. Walking at a slow pace to accommodate Karla with her canes, it took a good ten minutes to walk that distance, and once outside Rand saw that his initial impression of the building, made upon wakening, was correct.

SaDiablo Hall was a monstrosity of a building. Huge black blocks of stone attempting to consume the bright morning sunlight lay atop one another, piled higher than any building Rand had ever seen. There was glass everywhere, as all of the exterior rooms appeared to have windows of one size or another. The building was tastefully designed, but on a scale that astonished both Min and Rand. "I thought that The Stone of Tear was gargantuan, but this place is definitely more impressive," Min commented aloud to Rand, who quickly agreed.

They were led around the side of the Hall to the training grounds situated behind the massive building. Rand's attention was immediately drawn to the many weapon racks, upon which every type of armament Rand had ever seen hung, stood or leaned. There were also several things he assumed were weapons that he had never before encountered. The racks stood just outside a small building made of the same black stone as the Hall, obviously a storeroom for the frames and weapons when not in use. Rand started to move towards the stands, but was held back by Min.

"If you think I'm going to let you play with swords after the scare you gave me, think again sheepherder," Min put a halt to his plans, holding on tightly to his left arm and grinning. "You are going to relax today and wait until your wounds are fully healed, and only when Jaenelle gives you the go-ahead are you allowed to train." Rand stopped moving toward the racks, and looked at Min for a moment. He then started laughing at her with only a hint of impatience mixed with the love in his eloquently expressive gray eyes. While he was laughing, she thought of the incredible skill she had witnessed the last time she was on that field, so to prick his ego she added, "You'll want to be in peak condition so Lucivar can thrash you tomorrow."

"That's the truth, son," Lucivar said, coming closer to Rand and Min. "Part of my job around here is making sure everyone stays fit and healthy. But when Cat says it's okay, you and I have a date with the sticks. I need to know how much you can do in order to make you better, and the best way to find that out is to whack you around a bit. Or let you attempt to hit me. You see, anyone carrying a weapon on Hall property is under _my_ jurisdiction, and they have to perform to my satisfaction if they wish to remain armed," he added with a big smile.

"As soon as I woke up this morning, I felt like training. I have barely even touched my sword or training staves since this was blown off," Rand said with a smile of his own, brandishing the stump of his left forearm. "I look forward to training with you. Maybe you can show me some forms for one-handed sword-work. A Blademaster named Lan taught me almost everything I know about the sword, but I had two hands at the time. I never learned all of the forms and which work with only one hand, never mind how to adapt others to suit."

"It sounds as if your world's sword fighting is very formal and stuffy. I'll tell you right now that you won't be learning any 'forms' with me." Lucivar frowned and scratched his hair while he spoke. "The first thing we work on is how to move, and take it from there. But forget about that for now, we can get into the nitty-gritty of it all tomorrow."

As Rand and Lucivar were speaking, Jaenelle had gone over to a weapons rack and picked up Rand's sword. She unsheathed it with a practiced movement and brought it over for she and Karla to examine. They were earnestly discussing the sword as a big gray wolf loped out of the trees a little ways away, accompanied by an even larger wolf with mixed brown and gray coloring. The smaller of the two wolves ran straight to Jaenelle and Karla while the other slowed when it noticed Rand, but continued walking up and sat at Min's side, butting right between her and Rand. Jaenelle handed the sword off to Karla and knelt down to give the solid gray animal a hug.

"Hi Smoke, you haven't been to the Hall in weeks," Jaenelle excitedly greeted the wolf. She then conversed with the wolf for a minute by mind speech. After speaking to Smoke for a time, she stood up and moved with the wolf towards Rand and Min. "Rand, Min, I'd like you to meet Prince Smoke, one of my oldest friends. He and his pack live in the north woods."

While Jaenelle was greeting Smoke, Rand received a sly grin from Min as she knelt down as well and embraced the wild animal between them. Rand was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. While they were in the Abyss together, Jaenelle had told him about Kindred animals. Rand had already met Kaelas, but seeing his woman snuggled up to an undomesticated animal that considerably outweighed her unnerved Rand a little. It didn't help Rand at all that while being fondled, the wolf glared at him as if it had been offended somehow.

Min stood back up after the other wolf and Jaenelle had approached, and casually proclaimed, "This is my new friend Clarity. While you were asleep, Clarity and I got acquainted. He's an Ebon-gray Jeweled Warlord Prince and he's decided to be my protector." When she said this, the wolf turned his gaze from Rand and pushed his head against the woman's side, receiving another pat. Seated, the huge wolf was almost her height. When standing its shoulders were not many inches lower than hers.

Rand smoothly responded with a grin and a nod to both of the wolves, "I'm pleased to meet you Smoke, and I'm grateful to you Clarity. I'm happy Min wasn't left alone, and was able to find friends." Min merely smiled widely at Smoke.

Jaenelle then insisted they learn how to communicate psychically immediately. "You can use this skill to speak to anyone or everyone within your strength range. You can send the thought to any single mind, or broaden the reception to include a specific gender or particular Jewel rank," she explained. "I will need to come just inside of your mental barriers in order to teach you this skill, as I haven't had any success teaching it any other way. It is easier to do if I have physical contact with you." At the last sentence, Jaenelle advanced to within a few paces of the two.

She stood there, waiting patiently with a hand extended towards each of them, one eyebrow raised in an inquisitive manner. Rand and Min looked briefly at one another. They were both obviously thrilled with the idea of being able to speak to each other, and others of the Blood, without audible words. The couple smirked slightly and dropped their gazes, apparently mutual thoughts of the carnal possibilities of this connection forefront in each of their minds at the moment their eyes had met. Both of them blushing lightly, they stepped away from the wolf between them, linked inside elbows and reached out to clasp Jaenelle's offered hands.

Min almost immediately felt a warm, friendly presence within her mind. Jaenelle's words were deposited right into the center of Min's head, and were instantly understood. *This is what psychic communication feels like. You need only concentrate on another person, form the words and cast them towards your target.*

A moment later Min released Jaenelle's hand and exclaimed happily to everyone but Rand. *That's fantastic, it's so easy! And you can talk like this to anyone?*

Jaenelle, who was still holding hands with Rand and frowning mightily, responded aloud absently. "You can speak clearly to any person or animal with sufficient psychic strength. The ones sending and receiving the message must be Blood. Those who are half-Blood or less can only convey basic thoughts or impressions, if anything at all. Whole conversations and complex ideas can be exchanged between full Blood of any species." Jaenelle had had no problem surmounting the barriers that Min possessed to protect her inner core, but she met with a blank wall of force when trying to connect with Rand.

"Rand, I'm trying to very lightly touch your mind. The barrier I feel in your mind is clearly very different from what the Blood develop. I don't want to use Power to break through, will you please open your mind to me?" Jaenelle explained in a patient, but slightly disturbed tone.

Rand tried to open his mind several more times to Jaenelle without success before he got the idea of reaching out to her, as if they were going to link and channel the One Power together. As soon as his mental tendrils moved beyond his shield and connected with hers, they both took sharp intakes of breath and stood stock still.

Rand had felt similar sensations before, but never of such marvelous magnitude. He had drawn the maximum amount of Power from the Choeden Kal, the most powerful sa'angreal in his world, and turned that Power against itself, crushing the massive sa'angreal and melting its ter'angreal access key. The instantaneous deluge of energy that flowed through them both when Rand finally connected to Jaenelle made the substantial Power of the Choeden Kal feel like a solitary drop of water compared to Jaenelle's vast reservoir. Instantly they were both flung into the wild, rampant, unforgiving battle for control that was saidin, in which a single moment of inattention or distraction was mind-rending if not fatal. Rand reveled, and quailed, at the feeling that he could crack the world ten times over, and probably re-make it as well. Within the raging clamor of saidin, Rand could sense a sweet, dark, roiling current he assumed must be Jaenelle's. Her Power entwined with, and augmented his own in an outlandish way he could not fathom, but that exhilarated him immeasurably. Even the massive amount of energy utilized by Rand and Nynaeve together while using both male and female Choeden Kal, to cleanse the Taint from saidin in their own world, was greatly surpassed by the preposterous extent of the Power Jaenelle and Rand held when they first linked.

Someone female clearly said, "Mother Night and may the Darkness be merciful." Almost everyone surrounding Rand and Jaenelle backed away quickly. The wolves high-tailed it a couple hundred feet away while Daemon dragged Min away to where the rest were standing, a good fifty feet from the still hand-holding duo.

Jaenelle was astounded at the amount of Power Rand had access to, and the way he accessed it. As the High Priestess of the Hourglass, Jaenelle was the Black Widow most familiar with the depths and peculiarities of the Twisted Kingdom. She had gone in to bring Daemon and Tersa back to sanity, and had walked deep, dark roads none of the Blood but the Great Dragons had walked.

"Wow. Just... wow," was all Jaenelle was able to say for a moment. When she regained her composure, she quickly showed Rand how psychic communication worked. She had to show him several times, ensuring he understood, how to mute the Power of his thoughts so he didn't break the mind of whoever he attempted to contact. She investigated the Shield Rand used to protect his mind, also examining as much of Rand's mind as she would without receiving his express permission, before she released his hand and stepped away. She turned towards the group of people who had fled and waved them back over.

When everyone, including the two wolves, had circled around them again, Jaenelle explained. "I have never heard of, or seen anything like this before. To access his Power, Rand does a greased high-dive into the deepest region of the Twisted Kingdom that he can reach on his own," she told them all, shaking her head. "The normal descent is done within the core of our minds, and only if we delve too deeply, or completely lose control, do we access the Twisted Kingdom. When most people enter the Twisted Kingdom, they lose a part of themselves. Fractured images, memories, and possible future events assail them. Most never make it back to full sanity. Even to me, Rand's core is buried behind rock-hard walls of will. He is somehow able to project his core deeply into the Twisted Kingdom in order to access his Power, and then he simply shucks off the weight of madness, returning to the regular world, as you just saw."

Seeing the confused looks pasted on Min and Rand's faces, she elaborated. "The Twisted Kingdom is what the Blood call madness, or insanity. As Daemon explained earlier, every person has a different threshold for Power. It is not uncommon among the Blood for people, mostly Black Widows, to voluntarily venture into the Twisted Kingdom. There are many levels there, and one can learn a great deal if able to withstand the Power and sensory deprivation, as well as the shards of memory and experience."

Karla cut in at that point. "Blood minds are extraordinarily complex. In our Birthright ceremonies, we weave a web of Power as deeply into the Abyss of our own minds as we are able to go. This web offers a safe place to rest and recharge our Jewels, without having to battle against Power darker than our own, or... E_ver_ enter the Twisted Kingdom. It is possible for one of the Blood's mind and web to be broken by rape or other types of abuse. If the mind is broken, the Blood male or female may or may not still have an intact web; they may still be able to perform Craft. They will be insane, and possibly _very_ dangerous to others. If the inner web is broken, but the mind is not, they have lost the ability to perform anything but the most basic Craft, but retain their sanity. Most often, the abuse pushes the person far enough to shatter both at the same time."

"Thank you, Karla," Jaenelle sliced into Karla's dissertation with a cold tone, running roughshod over what Karla was about to say next. She wanted to divert the conversation temporarily. She planned to discuss several things about their visitors with Saetan and the others from Kaleer that evening while their guests were sleeping. They definitely had matters to address before Rand made his Offering to the Darkness. During Karla's discourse she had abruptly realized how long they had all just stood around on the lawn near the training field. Using that as an excuse, Jaenelle proposed moving on, shooing everyone away from the many deadly weapons stored within easy reach.

"Well, we know you are both powerful enough to successfully complete your Offering to the Darkness after resting for a couple days, so let's go see the Dark Altar." She and Daemon then led everyone around the back of the Hall to the small (in comparison to Saetan's not-so-humble domicile) black building, only a few moments walk from the Hall. "This is a Dark Altar, also known as a Sanctuary. This is the place you arrived so unconventionally the other day."

Min looked around curiously, remembering her impressions of the room the first time she saw it. When she and Rand had somehow Traveled here, she had been more concerned with finding help than investigating their strange surroundings. This time, as soon as they came near the building, Min and Rand could both sense something unusual, a feeling of incredible age and dark Power that somehow made them both feel safe, as if wrapped in a warm blanket.

The building consisted of one large, rectangular room and a small storage room at the back. Min saw that the thick and heavy dark wooden doors, which had been destroyed by a cavalier burst of Power during Jaenelle's dramatic entrance several days ago, had been replaced as if never broken. As the intelligent young woman remembered, there were only a few pieces of furniture, and those were pushed to the sides of the room as if seldom used. Min moved quickly to scrutinize the short wall near what she assumed was the Altar. On the top of the Altar was a large, ornate candle holder. She had not seen the elegant black metal candlestick, nor the large black oval against the wall behind the three large stones, in her first perusal of the room.

"That is a Gate," Daemon said, assuming the role of teacher from Jaenelle, pointing to the large black oval on the wall. "It is a Gate between Realms. If anyone lights the four black candles on the candelabra in the proper sequence, the Gate will open. Normally it opens to one of the two Realms other than Kaleer in this world. They are the Realms of Terreille, known as the Realm of Light, and Hell, which is known as the Dark Realm. Kaleer, where we are now, is known as the Shadow Realm. We have no idea how you managed to get here from your world. Saetan, my father, is over fifty thousand years old, and he's never heard of anything like what happened to you two. Jaenelle and I are quite eager to take you two to the Keep, or Ebon Askavi as it is often called here, to check the histories and see what Draca will make of you."

At the mention of Saetan's incredible age, both Rand and Min turned to Daemon with stunned and skeptical expressions. "Yes, I thought that might be your reaction," Daemon laughed softly and began to explain the different races that inhabited his world. He told them how the long-lived races could expect to live well upwards of twenty-five centuries, barring unforeseen accidents or sickness. He then informed them of a ceremony that let the Blood extend their lifetimes considerably. "Guardians are very rare in our world. They perform a ceremony that allows them to live a half-life, in order to care for the Realms. You will meet two of them soon."

"I already met Saetan, and I think he's great. I think he likes me too. You're really going to like him Rand. He certainly doesn't look like he's been alive that long though." Min was practically bouncing with eagerness at the thought of introducing Rand to the charming, aristocratic man.

Her blithe comments and exuberance brought a few chuckles from the group, and the females were all smiling widely. Everyone in the room knew well the effect Saetan and Daemon had on women. As they had all been walking around the Hall and chatting, the sun had moved into the upper regions of the western sky. Practical Hearth-witch Marian noticed the light change and spoke up for the first time in a while, suggesting they all go clean up a bit, as it was past time for lunch. Her plan was enthusiastically agreed upon by all, so they left the Sanctuary and headed into the Hall.

Jaenelle explained that more new clothes had been made for Rand and Min both, and that Beale had put them in the armoire in Min's room. She confirmed that they would like to stay in a room together, and that Min's room was more than sufficient for the two of them. She then left them with the information that lunch would be served in the same chamber as breakfast, in about a half-hour.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Rand asked Min with a wry grin as they headed to their room.

Min just smiled back at him and led the way through the massive building. When they reached the bedroom, Rand flopped onto the huge bed and yawned. Min went right to the armoire to check on the new clothing. She gave an answer to his earlier question, while holding a few different shirts of very high quality up to her small frame checking for fit. "I'm not sure what we've got into, but it might be just the thing we need. I know you're anxious to get Egwene's support, and really start the war, but we've been run off our feet in the last few months. You are human Rand. You can't push yourself mercilessly without consequences. Can you honestly say you would have assaulted your father if you were in your right mind?" Min hated to dig like this at Rand, but he had to realize he was only a man - an incredibly powerful and influential man, but a man nonetheless.

Min's acidic comment about his actions against Tam caused Rand to jolt up on the bed and spear her with hot, hard eyes. The beautiful woman who held a large part of his heart just stared resolutely right back into his fierce eyes, wearing a sympathetic expression. After only a moment of staring, Rand dropped his gaze and his whole frame drooped.

"No, no I can't... I told you what I did to the Choeden Kal on Dragonmount. I never mentioned that while holding that Power, before I decided to destroy the sa'angreal, I almost lost control completely. I almost cracked the world. At the last moment I realized that I have a chance to do things differently. I have the opportunity to fix the errors Lews Therin committed. You're right, I was nowhere near my right mind. My first order of business when we get back is to make things right with Tam. I wish he had been around when I popped into the Stone of Tear to grab you, Cadsuane, and Nynaeve before we went to see Egwene. This place is so crazy though..." Rand's voice drifted off as he thought of their situation.

"It's very strange, but I think we can learn a lot to our benefit here," Min began. "The people here have skills no-one in our world would believe. If either of us can learn these skills, and bring them with us when we go back, we'll have an advantage the Forsaken know nothing about. Never mind the fact that they Healed you completely." She completed the last sentence as she slipped out of her shirt and pulled one of the new ones over her head. She stood, turning this way and that, admiring herself in the mirror for a moment before continuing.

"At least you dropped us somewhere where people have good taste. Look at these clothes, this room, and this building. These people have been around for a long, _long_ time, and obviously know how to live well. Their level of wealth and experience dwarfs anything in our world, even accounting for your weird assimilation of Lews Therin."

Rand had begun to smile widely again, watching spirited Min preen in the mirror. "I think you just like it here because every woman dresses like you. Gabrielle was the only woman wearing a dress."

Min laughed and wandered over to Rand, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed. She kissed the tip of his nose and said, "The women here are very smart and practical. I like them. Now we have to find our way back to the dining room, so come on." She grabbed his only hand and pulled him up and out the door.


	9. Chapter 9 Questions and Answers

**Chapter 9** - Questions and Answers

Rand and Min were the last to arrive to the dining room. Everyone was already sitting and chatting away when they came hurrying in, arm in arm. Jaenelle stood up from the end of the table and pulled a man up with her as she rose. "Rand al'Thor, I would like you to meet my adoptive father, Saetan Daemon SaDiablo, the High Priest of the Hourglass, the High Lord of Hell, and the Prince of the Darkness."

Saetan rose gracefully when Jaenelle tugged at his arm. He nodded and smiled courteously to Min before grinning at Rand. "Rand, I am glad to see you up and about. I have to admit myself impressed by the quickness of your recovery. After the brutal way the girls had to finish the Healing, I thought you would be out for a day at least. Jaenelle tells me that you broke easily through the sleep webs the Healers had woven, and were kicking and spitting within four hours of us finishing the ceremony. It is very nice to meet you, officially that is." Saetan was shaking his head slightly, at the young man's strength and temerity, as he bowed.

Rand instantly recognized the dulcet tones he had heard upon wakening during the ceremony. The older man's voice had been commanding, yet reassuring, as he called Min over and told Rand to release the One Power. Now Rand studied the man's face and was completely unable to tell his age. He looked very much like Daemon, not beautiful like the younger man but distinguished and refined. Their features were very similar, only with Saetan's thick black hair greying at the temples, he looked a mere twenty or twenty-five years Daemon's senior.

"Nice to meet you too, sir. We've heard a lot of interesting things in the last few hours, and we're very much looking forward to speaking with you," Rand replied, bowing in return and looking over to Min's smiling face beside him.

"About the Healing, Rand...," Jaenelle quickly jumped back in. "I meant to talk to you about that earlier, but we got carried away with other things. We're all very sorry about how things turned out last night. The evil in your torso wounds refused to leave your body after a certain point. Karla had created an ingenious piece of Craft that drew the 'affliction', as we came to call it, out while healing the wounds from the far side, away from the exit point of the evil. In the last half hour of Healing, those webs reached their saturation point, they could no longer absorb the 'affliction', and we had no knowledge of how to make it remove itself. Thankfully the webs worked properly and completely for the stain of evil in your head, though I suspect it pained you considerably while we extracted it. We ended up having to literally burn the remnants of 'affliction' out of your chest," she ended with an apologetic tone and expression.

By the time Jaenelle had been half-way through her speech, Rand was smiling widely and was ready to cut her off. Min's squeezing of his hand had stopped him from rudely butting in, but as soon as Jaenelle had apologized Rand spoke up. "Jaenelle, there is absolutely nothing to apologize for. You, Karla, Gabrielle, and Saetan did in a few hours what experienced Aes Sedai in my world said was utterly impossible. For the way I felt when I woke up this morning, and the way I feel right now, that pain is a price I'd be willing to pay a hundred times over. I never realized how bad it got, all the pain in my body and distrust and uncertainty messing with my head, until it was all gone this morning. I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you did. Thank you, thank all of you. If there is anything I can do for you, _anything_, just let me know and if it's within my Power, consider it done."

Jaenelle merely smiled happily and stepped over to embrace Rand. Saetan and the two other female Healers just smiled and nodded their acknowledgment of his thanks to Rand over Jaenelle's shoulder. After a long hug that Min joined in on, they separated and Min led Rand around the table to where two seats were left open for them between Lucivar and Chaosti. Just before they sat down, a beautiful black-haired woman with stunning gold-green eyes strode into the room and nodded to everyone. She was introduced by Saetan as Surreal SaDiablo, a cousin and the woman who assisted Daemon in his position as Warlord Prince of Dhemlan. The exotically lovely and seductive woman nodded cordially to Rand and gave Min a big private smile before seating herself across from them at the table. As with breakfast, there was a colossal amount of food on the table. Once everyone was seated, they all reached toward their favorites and the meal began.

While piling his plate with a couple of pieces of bread and a huge amount of meat and cheese, Lucivar turned to Rand beside him and started questioning him about his sword. Rand explained that it was made in his world over a thousand years before his birth, made specifically for the man Rand had been reincarnated from. Rand laughed softly at the incredulous looks his remark received, then proceeded to inform the group of his recent past while they ate. No one interrupted him as he concisely, but quite meticulously detailed the major events of the past two years of his life. He hid nothing, having decided that these people could help him somehow, he figured holding back information would be counterproductive.

Min watched Rand carefully as he spun out his story. She knew almost everything about the adventures that he was relating to the group. So she studied the man, not the story. The tall, strong young man had always impressed Min, and had completely stolen her heart. During his recitation of events in their world she saw him as others must, for perhaps the first time. He had lost all of the uncertainty of youth and become a very compelling and effective orator. His attractive smile and quick wits were well honed weapons he wielded masterfully to convince his audience of the veracity and gravity of his tale. Rand al'Thor was no longer a shepherd. He had become a leader of men.

"And so it turned out that I definitely was Lews Therin Telamon, the Dragon. I am the Dragon Reborn, and have assimilated all of his memories and experiences," Rand finished, with a large yawn, his shirt sleeves rolled up displaying the twin dragons twisting up his forearms.

Everyone sat silent for a moment until Jaenelle started giggling. Daemon turned to her with a question in his eyes and she giggled even harder. At long last she related the reason for her mirth. "Draca and Lorn are going to love you, Rand. And the dragons in the Fyreborne islands..." She broke into snickers again and was joined by several others around the table.

Rand wasn't sure he understood. "Are you saying that there are actually creatures like these, _alive_, in your world?" he asked, looking confusedly from his forearms to the group around the table and back.

Saetan cleared his throat, and called in a large leather-bound book. He walked around the table and placed the book between Rand and Min on the immense slab of thick, dense-grained black wood. Opening the book, he began speaking. "These are pictures of all the different breeds of dragon that have existed in these Realms over the last five or six hundred millennia. That is as far back as we have histories to report. Lorn and Draca may know more, but it is unlikely as they are the caretakers, and authors of most of the Blood's histories. There are notations in the book about which dragons were still known to be alive as recently as fifty years ago."

Min was ecstatic, finding obscure knowledge in an ancient, beautiful book was a sure way to make her day. Grinning hugely she flipped slowly through the book, turning to shake Rand's arm in excitement when they read an interesting fact. The pictures were a good size, and exceedingly well detailed, so Rand and Min had no trouble sharing as they perused the aged tome.

"They certainly aren't exactly the same creatures as the ones on your arms," Min began, "but they're obviously related somehow. When can we go meet with these dragons?" She turned and asked Jaenelle, hiding her mouth behind a hand when she yawned.

Jaenelle smiled warmly and thought for a moment before answering. "Because of Rand's recent Healing, and the fact that I would like you both to make your Offering to the Darkness as soon as possible, I think we will go to Ebon Askavi in a few days. I'd like to give you today and tomorrow to rest and relax while we learn more of each other, and how our world's differ. Just before sunset tomorrow, Min, if you are willing, I will take you to the Dark Altar for your Offering. If all goes well, and there is no reason to think it won't, you will have a Jewel of your own the next morning. Rand should be sufficiently recovered the next night to make his own Offering. Will that satisfy you two?"

Rand looked over to Min, who had turned back to the dragon tome. He smiled and bumped her elbow. "Oh yes," Min responded, not looking up from the book. "A day of rest would be great." Rand looked over to Jaenelle and just smiled, nodding his head affirmatively.

Saetan laughed and said to Rand, "Jaenelle is just like Min when she finds an interesting new book or piece of knowledge. The Hall could come crumbling down all about her, and she wouldn't notice until she looked up from her page. Well, I can see everyone has finished lunch. You both look as if you're about to fall asleep, so why don't you head on back to your room and we'll see you when you awake. There is always someone up and going around the Hall. If you wake up in the night just look around for Helene our housekeeper, Beale the butler, or his wife Mrs. Beale, who is our cook. And don't be afraid to wander. The only dangerous areas are Jewel Locked, so feel free to soak up the ambiance of the place wherever your impulses take you."

Lucivar spoke before they could respond or leave the room. "You still have to tell me about the making of that sword, son. Don't think I forgot about it with all this talk of reincarnation. If you're feeling up to it, training starts at seven o'clock every morning. Eventually I will insist that both of you come, but I'll give you a couple days rest if you think you need it. Or if Cat says you need it."

"They can make that decision for themselves tomorrow, now let them get some sleep," Jaenelle told Lucivar sternly, softening her words with a smile. Her sapphire eyes glittered with amusement as she turned to address her handsome and intriguing guests, "Now you two head on up to bed, and we'll see you later."

Rand and Min took their leave of everyone then, smiling and wishing all a good afternoon. Min led Rand through the many hallways and up the staircase to their room, where they undressed quickly and hopped into the huge bed. As she snuggled up to Rand's side, Min thought of all the good things that could result from their stay in Kaleer.

"So, should I kill him after he tells me how to make a sword like his?" Lucivar asked the group seriously after Rand and Min had left the room, and Beale assured Lucivar that they would not be overheard. Shocked faces looked back at him from around the table, so he went on. "Don't tell me you didn't think of it, after linking with him on the training field Jaenelle. And don't say _you_ didn't think of frying his brain while he held more Power in his fingertips than I've ever felt a man handle... While holding onto your wife, brother dearest. One doesn't easily forget the sight of the Sadist coming out to play," he said heatedly to Jaenelle and then turned his glowing, molten-gold eyes to Daemon with the last remark.

*Let me kill him. He won't even know it's coming. I'll make it quick and painless.* Clarity offered eagerly on a common thread from the spot he was occupying on the floor next to the table.

"Just relax guys. I definitely did consider destroying the boy for a moment," Daemon replied easily, leaning back in his chair and tenting his fingers contemplatively. "But he's not insane or threatening, at least not in any way you or I wouldn't be in his situation. And Jaenelle can handle herself, if you've forgotten that little fact."

"Think about it for a second. How many women have thought they would be safer if you or I were just killed outright, Lucivar? And how many hundreds of witches did we sent back to the Darkness, before we met Jaenelle? How did you feel the first time you realized the ratio of Jaenelle's Power to your Ebon-gray was like Saetan's Black compared to a landen?" By the last rhetorical question Daemon was smiling widely, watching his brother and the massive wolf who had grown very fond of Min.

Lucivar had been listening very carefully and had started to nod slowly, even before Daemon finished. The tension evident in his shoulders and face eased, but he turned to Jaenelle with an inquiring look. Clarity just huffed, clearly evincing his opinion of Daemon's explanation, and laid his head back down on his paws. Jaenelle was sitting back in her chair, slouched down and obviously thinking hard. Lucivar's questioning gaze brought her out of her contemplations.

"First off," Jaenelle began smoothly in her authoritarian voice, "the Power you felt was not entirely Rand's. He can definitely access a large amount on his own, but somehow the Power of my Twilight's Dawn amplified his capacity. When he reached out of his Shield to me, he joined with me in a way I've never experienced..." She fought to find the right words to describe the unique experience. "My Power wove itself into his and supplemented it. I could feel both distinctive types of energy feeding off each other, and yet intensifying both at the same time. Together we held as much Power in kinetic stasis as when I cleansed the taint in the Blood by unleashing _all _of the energy I could access. And this is a man with no Jewel Power of his own to add to the mix, yet. He'll wear a dark Jewel, mark my words."

Jaenelle's comments brought the protective, aggressive Lucivar right back. "Then shouldn't you let Clarity and I deal with him, before he becomes capable of _wiping us all out on his own?_" he demanded, half-rising from his chair in anxious anticipation of violence. Clarity stood up with hackles raised and issued a low, deep growl.

Saetan had watched Lucivar's face and body change at Jaenelle's words. He had come to know his two living sons very well in the last few years, and he knew that Lucivar was in full Eyrien warrior mode now. Anyone Lucivar saw as a potential threat to his Queen or family would be eliminated, and they would not die a pretty death. Saetan had also danced with the side of Daemon known as the Sadist, and so he was quite surprised at Daemon's apparent unconcern. If Lucivar had seen the Sadist come out that afternoon, when Jaenelle and Rand had linked, how was Daemon so calm and confident now? Immediate concerns pushed thoughts of Daemon's reactions aside temporarily. Saetan rose from his seat and circled the table to where Lucivar was rising.

"Lucivar, Lucivar...," Saetan walked slowly up behind his son and placed a fatherly hand on his shoulder. He gently pushed the younger man back down into his seat. "We all love you, and value you... But this is _not_ the time to kill first and ask questions later."

"Thank you, Papa," Jaenelle gave Saetan a small, tight smile before turning adamantine eyes to Lucivar and then Clarity. She continued, now speaking in her cold and inexorable Queen voice. "As I was saying... Secondly, during our linking we were very close mentally. It was very much like sharing physical sensations, but more, much more. We could feel each other's emotions and read one another's thoughts. Rand has absolutely no maliciousness in him. He has nothing but admirable intents for his Power, and is no danger to us, unless we give him a good reason to become an enemy."

The Queen softened the force and tone of her voice slightly, addressing everyone around the table. "And thirdly, I find I like him quite a bit. He is a good man, and he is worthy of the wonderful witch he has found in Min. She, I think, should have been born here in Kaleer. He has a very important, and very difficult job to do when he gets back to his world. We are going to do everything we can to assist Rand and Min. _Understood?_"

Lucivar and Clarity didn't look happy, but everyone in the room knew to agree quickly with Jaenelle when she was in this type of mood, unless they were up for a dangerous battle of wills. Protocol would only protect the Warlords, and even Queens in the First Circle, so far. If they pushed too hard, they might wind up facing the Queen's wrath. _No one_ wanted Jaenelle wroth with them. Saetan and Daemon had already come to the same conclusion regarding Rand, but were soothed considerably by hearing Jaenelle's declaration. Everyone else around the table trusted Jaenelle implicitly, and would assist her in any way possible.

"Good. Then there won't be any problems." Cheerful Jaenelle was back. She pushed her empty plate away from the edge of the table and stood. "I'm sure last night's exertions took their toll on all of you. Daemon, you should head on back to bed. I'll be there to join you in a short while. I'll see the rest of you tomorrow morning. Saetan, would you join me in your study for a glass of yarbarah?"

"Certainly, Lady," Saetan patted his youngest son on the shoulder one more time then rounded the table and offered Jaenelle his arm. Together they slowly wandered through the Hall, down the stairs and into his personal study on a lower level of the Hall. Saetan released her arm as they arrived and she left his side to slouch into one of the comfortable armchairs while he poured and warmed two glasses of blood wine for them.

"You did very well out there witch-child," Saetan began after passing the yarbarah to Jaenelle and seating himself in an armchair facing hers. "I also believe that Rand is exactly as he appears, an honest and earnest young man with no hate in his heart."

"Oh, there's hate there," Jaenelle replied. "His animosity is directed straight at this Dark One and the minions known as Forsaken. Hate is a powerful emotion, and can be an incredibly effective motivator, as you well know. He hates what the Dark One has done to his friends and his world. In this strange Realm he comes from, he's developed into the quintessential Warlord Prince. My only real worry is how to balance the massive amount of Power he will soon be able to wield. Min is a wonderful girl, but she is no Queen."

"It isn't only Queens who are served by Warlord Princes, Jaenelle," Saetan gently reminded her, after a few moments of thought. "Your brother Lucivar would rip our world into pieces if something happened to Marian. When you aren't around, she is able to calm him, she is able to bring him back even when he goes cold." He stopped there, letting Jaenelle digest these comments.

Jaenelle sat thinking seriously for several moments, then perked up. "Thank you Papa. You are correct." She gave Saetan her best unsure-but-game smile. "This just means we have to spend some extra time with the girl, to make sure she clearly understands what Rand is becoming."

Saetan heard something in her voice, and saw something in her expression. That 'something' scraped a nerve, and made the typically unshakeable Guardian very uneasy. "And what exactly, Jaenelle, is he becoming?" he asked softly, quite some time later, thinking he already knew the answer and not at all sanguine about it.

She turned back from studying the large portrait that still hung on his study wall, the stunning painting of Cassandra, the Black Jewelled Queen who had sacrificed her own half-life along with many of the demon-dead, in order for others to live free of the 'Taint'. Jaenelle's dark sapphire eyes locked with Saetan's, and in her silky, ebony midnight voice the Queen hypothesized, "The Darkness has had a Prince for a long time now. I am the undisputed Queen in _our _world, but I think that the Darkness has finally chosen a _King_."


	10. Chapter 10 Awakenings 2

**Chapter 10 **- Awakenings 2

"Not bad, not bad at all. Get your wind back and we'll start with the sticks." Lucivar said, hardly breathing heavily at all while clapping his firm hand on Rand's heaving shoulder. Rand just nodded and gasped for breath, looking over the training field to see if Min and Jaenelle had returned yet. When the worst of his cramps eased, he stood tall and stretched his arms and legs out so they would remain limber throughout the day. As he stretched, he thought about how the morning had progressed.

Rand had awoken early. Min had remained peacefully asleep when he got out of bed and dressed himself, so he resolved to let her rest until just before seven o'clock. The room given to him and Min was an interior room with no windows. When he left their room on the second floor he discovered that he and Min had slept from late afternoon until early morning. The morning sun was almost ready to peek it's golden fringe up over the horizon when he passed the first hallway window on his way downstairs. Rand had wandered through the Hall until the smell of baking bread lured him into the kitchen area. A very large, strong-looking woman greeted him cordially when he entered the huge kitchen and told him he was welcome to stay so long as he was not underfoot. She belatedly introduced herself as Mrs. Beale, the Hall's cook. She informed him that it was just after five in the morning and that breakfast proper would be served around eight-thirty, when everyone had finished the morning's exercise.

Rand obeyed the muscular woman without question, sitting on a stool at a small table out of the way of the many helpers in the corner of the kitchen. He felt fantastic, the combination of a completely healed body, a great night's sleep and the wonderful smell of Mrs. Beale's baking all worked to put him in a great mood. The cook noticed him sitting on the stool smiling, with his eyes closed, breathing in the fresh smell of new bread. She brought him a large cup of black, powerful coffee and gave him a small bun that had just come out of the oven. He thanked her and ate the bun, then tried the coffee.

"By the _Light!_" Rand exclaimed after his first sip of the potent brew. He had never tasted anything like that before. It felt like it would corrode it's way through his gullet on the way down. Mrs. Beale laughed uproariously at him, wiping the corners of her tearing eyes with her apron.

"Yep, that's Jaenelle's special morning brew you have there," she said to Rand, still chuckling. "A lot of people react the same way when they first try it. There are a few around here who are good for nothing when they first awake, Jaenelle being one of them. You finish that cup and I'll give you another bun and a mug for you to take up to that little sweetheart of yours."

"Thank you Mrs. Beale," Rand said, finishing his cup of scalding-hot coffee and leaning down to give the cook a kiss on the cheek. "You're a sweetie yourself."

"Bah, away with you." The large woman blushed and hustled him out of her kitchen, his hands full with fresh buns and a big mug of coffee for Min.

Min was just starting to wake when Rand entered their room. "Good morning farm-boy," she mumbled his direction while stretching out on the bed.

"Good morning to you, sleepyhead," Rand said as he leaned over the bed to plant a kiss on her lips. "I have already been around the Hall adventuring. I have brought buns and a very special beverage I think you might enjoy," he said proudly, gleefully anticipating her first sip of the coffee.

Min sat up on the edge of the bed and took the bun Rand offered. "Mmm, that's tasty." Rand beamed his amusement at her simple enjoyment of the bread. Grinning hugely, he offered her the mug he had brought. She sniffed the contents and then took a large swig of the still-hot coffee. "Oooh, _mmmm_..." She moaned in ecstasy, closed her eyes, and smiled blissfully as the robust liquid flowed down her throat. When she opened her liquid brown eyes again, Rand had seated himself beside her on the bed and was watching her closely. He waited patiently, staring at her with an amorous gaze, as she finished the coffee. He then took the cup from her, threw it somewhere towards the corner of their room, and pulled her back into the center of the bed. Rand spent the next hour or so ardently trying to put coffee, and everything else, out of her mind.

"My goodness! You're going to have to start bringing me breakfast in bed every morning, if that's what is going to happen," she said, laughing, as she finally got up from the bed and stepped over to the armoire. She turned back to Rand after she opened the doors and joked, "How are you feeling this morning? Good enough to go out for training?"

Rand laughed and smiled easily, laying on his back with his arms behind his head. "I'm great. And you, my love, are fantastic. I'm ready for anything if you are."

Min smiled to herself, thinking of Rand's enthusiasm and passion in the last hour, as she chose an outfit from the clothes provided for her and Rand. She chose a short-sleeved blue shirt and a loose pair of soft leather pants with lots of room for movement. "You'd better get dressed then. I don't think Lucivar is forgiving of those who turn up late. And trust me Rand," she couldn't contain a giggle, "you want to stay on the good side of Lucivar. At least until you've picked a few things up from him."

"Is he really that good?" Rand asked seriously as he stood up from the bed and joined her at the armoire. "You do remember that it was Lan Mandragoran who taught me the sword?"

Min appraised the completely naked man at her side. His tall, strong, and incredibly fit physique was impressive, but she merely smirked at him as he began to dress. "You'll see. Hurry up, and let's get going."

Rand didn't respond, but donned similar clothing to Min's and they left the room arm in arm. They ran into Jaenelle and Daemon on the ground floor, on their way out to the training grounds as well. They exchanged greetings with the two, who grinned at Rand and Min knowingly, and followed them out of the Hall and over to where Lucivar was already waiting.

He was pacing quickly, looking impatient and agitated, as Rand and Min approached. Lucivar gruffly explained that, as it was their first day of training, Rand and Min would be separated. Jaenelle would take Min with her, and Lucivar would take Rand. Today was an assessment day. They would find out what physical limits and skills Rand and Min possessed, in order to design workouts and routines from there. Rand and Min had been hoping to train together, but what Lucivar said made perfect sense, so they went opposite ways. Lucivar, Daemon and Clarity went with Rand north, while Jaenelle and Surreal took Min south.

After following behind the wolf and the two men to the edge of the forest, Rand joined them as they formed a small circle. Lucivar described the first step in his plan. "The first thing we need to do is get an idea of your stamina. We all run varying distances every morning to warm up before practicing with any weapons. We're going on a slightly longer run this morning. Let's see if you can keep up." With that comment, Lucivar, Daemon and Clarity took off through the woods directly north of the Hall.

Rand was a statuesque man, with long and strong legs, but he knew within a mile that he would definitely not be able to keep up for long. Even before his injuries, he was never a superb runner. The last couple of years riding horseback and Traveling hadn't done him any favours physically, at least in regard to long-distance running. He had heart though, so he gave it his all as he attempted to keep Daemon in sight through the trees.

The men and wolf from Kaleer slowed a bit when the forest thinned, waiting for Rand to catch them up. As Rand neared the group, he studied the men ahead of him. Lucivar ran effortlessly, his powerful legs propelling him forward with consummate ease, his large wings pulled tight to his back. His head was high and his back straight as if merely strolling across a lawn, not jogging at a fast pace. Daemon loped across the ground with the fluid, sleek grace of a predatory animal. He appeared to expend absolutely no energy while running. He was constantly ready to accelerate exponentially or turn in an instant. Daemon looked as if he might even be able to outrun Clarity, who bounded beside him easily at the pace they maintained so that Rand had at least some chance of keeping-up.

The men from Kaleer ran and ran, never seeming to tire. Clarity obviously thought it was silly to just run straight ahead, so he darted on and off the path, leaping boulders and flushing out small game from thickets of bushes. He never chased the small animals he disturbed, he just frightened them terribly and ran on. At one point, when Rand was flagging, Lucivar spoke to the wolf as they ran well ahead of the young foreigner. For the rest of the run Clarity followed within a few feet of his back, growling loudly when Rand slowed or tripped up. Rand knew the wolf probably wouldn't attack him, but a growling Warlord Prince on his heels certainly served as a good motivator.

The scenery was beautiful where they ran, but Rand had no energy to spare for sight-seeing. They ran for miles and miles, at least it felt that way to Rand. His legs were cramping badly and he had a terrible stitch in his side by the time he noticed that they had completed a loop, bringing them back to the training grounds behind the Hall.

In the next two hours Rand developed a completely new appreciation and respect for the people in this world. Every person he had met the day before was a deadly warrior in their own right. Every member of the Dark Court residing presently at the Hall was trained, and drilled mercilessly, to react in prescribed ways in emergency scenarios. Disregarding their Jewel Power and the Kindred's complete contempt for weapons wielded by those not counted among 'their humans', these people were, each and every one of them, masters of their chosen weapons. A few had three or four vastly different armaments picked as personal favorites, or specialties. Rand and Min saw skills displayed with knives, bows, frying-pans, short and long-staffs, and several different styles of one and two-handed swords that they could barely comprehend and had definitely never seen matched. Even the people not technically part of the Dark Court, servants of the Hall, locals with and without wings and their friends all came to train and learn from Jaenelle's males, especially from Lucivar. Many of these servants and common trades-people would easily qualify as Weapon-masters in Min and Rand's world.

These people lived a long time, but Rand was astounded by their proficiency. Lucivar himself was an indefatigable army of one. It seemed as if there was nothing that could stop the overwhelmingly powerful and bewilderingly fast man, with any physical weapon. Daemon flowed like water, except he flowed where you would never expect him to go. He baffled opponents, anyone other than Lucivar, with deceptive and intelligent feints-within-feints. His kinesthetic senses were so acutely honed he was able to gracefully appear as if dancing to an enjoyable tune, while fighting a furious battle. They were all impressive, but Min and Rand were amazed and shocked when Jaenelle and Lucivar took center stage.

Lucivar was a fearfully quick and adept warrior, but Rand and Min were alarmed by the sheer ferocity of Jaenelle. When the two combatants rushed at each other, with their two-handed warp-wood staves cocked back, they both emitted primal growls. Most of their fight thereafter was fought with only the occasional grunt or slight hiss being heard over the almost deafeningly loud and incessant crash of 'practice' weapons. Moving into attack routines and defensive maneuvers so rapidly that neither Rand nor Min could hope of following, the two skillful warriors carved a complex and ferocious path across the training ground. Lucivar had a longer reach than Jaenelle, and he used his powerful wings to great effect during the fight. Jaenelle was fast as lightning and just as terrifying to watch close-up.

Over the two or so minutes the battle had lasted, Rand had just barely started to understand the true flow of the fight. Lucivar apparently scored a good hit and the fighters stilled. Rand and Min hadn't seen the hit, but they both felt Jaenelle's snarl like a blow when she demanded, "_Again._" The fearsome tone of the snarl, and the cold that had suddenly robbed all of the heat from the previously warm morning, caused all within thirty or so feet to pause, immobile in stiff anticipation. Lucivar nodded slightly before the contest began again with a glacially-cold intensity.

Jaenelle bounded and whirled with magnificent grace and speed. Lucivar somehow matched her and they each spun a brilliant weave of death with their sticks, only to be countered by the other's perfect deflection or intuitive evasion. The flow of the last few strikes in the battle became manifest to Rand the instant Jaenelle performed a certain move. A form Rand recognized as Black Pebbles on Snow was executed with great precision; she parried Lucivar's stave and made a diagonal down-cut at the man's torso. Lucivar flexed his large wings and barely shifted his weight to avoid her powerful slash and executed his own attack with a beautifully polished version of Ribbon in the Air. Once her stick had parried Lucivar's initial attack, Lucivar would be able to use his superior reach and wing-assisted agility to strike Jaenelle's unprotected side in a strong, devastating slice of his stave. Rand saw that she had no way to avoid the practice blade about to crack her skull.

To Rand and Lucivar's utter astonishment, the woman was able to shift her head and shoulders below the aggressive slash. With a squatting Heron Wading in the Rushes movement, she spun on her left leg, leaving her back and the back of her head completely undefended while she threw her other leg around to sweep the man's feet from under him. She had thrown her sword-arm out in front of her, away from Lucivar completely, to leverage strength for the trip, swinging her right leg underneath Lucivar's center of gravity. Jaenelle's insanely risky and innovative ploy worked only because Lucivar was advancing for the slash and the possible follow-up cut. He was unbalanced marginally by the force of his strike at her head, and the last place anyone expected slender Jaenelle to move was toward and, somehow, underneath the rushing mass of muscle that was Lucivar. He went crashing to the turf on his side as she stood gracefully, right where he had been swinging his stave, certain of victory, a split-second before. She moved immediately to him, smiling widely now and extended a hand.

The heat had returned three-fold to their battle during the second round. Both combatants were still breathing heavily and sweating profusely when they finished the quiet talk they had together for a few moments right after the fight. They turned, and arm in arm came over to the observers and laughed about the way they sometimes got a 'little frenzied' while sparring.

Rand understood clearly that they had been sparring against each other for years, and that their fighting was akin to chess, stones or especially sha'rah. The fantastically intricate and difficult game of the mind that had been lost to time in Rand's world was an apt analogy for the complex physical game the masterful warriors played. Most moves were planned many steps ahead, gambits feinted and stratagems discarded, sword strokes parried and countered in long advance of physical execution. Agility and acuity of mind played as much, if not more, of a role in Jaenelle and Lucivar's game as physical fitness and awareness. They walked away after a moment, keeping mobile to cool their bodies down, leaving Rand and Min agog at what they had just witnessed.

They had no time, however, to sit and chat about it just then. A few of the Kindred had come out to the training grounds to help Rand and Min adjust to Kaleer. They soon became very glad the animals were willing to show them a little of what Kindred were capable of. They would never make the huge mistake of thinking anything in this world a simple 'animal' again.

Lord Ladvarian had arrived at the Hall the previous night. The small cute dog, and a couple of the other Scelties that had come along with him, helped to illustrate to Rand and Min that even the most benign appearance meant nothing here. The enthusiastic and charming dogs could make themselves invisible, protect themselves and attack with Craft, or could physically attack in devastatingly intelligent and dangerous patterns to confuse enemies or assist allies.

Kaelas, the massive black and white-striped Arcerian cat had made his way to the training grounds by the time Ladvarian and the other Scelties had shown Rand and Min some of their skills. He was waiting beside a friend of his, one who would be more than happy to help Jaenelle's new friends, he explained. Rand thought he was slowly becoming inured to the strange, amazing people and their interesting companions. But a man cannot be expected to calmly greet a tiger larger that any cat Rand had ever seen standing casually beside a _unicorn_ larger than any horse Rand had ever even heard of.

Prince Mistral, the Red Jeweled Warlord Prince of Unicorns, explained that he had been on a mission to find and talk with Jaenelle, or Saetan, when Kaelas informed him of the strangers at the Hall. Kaelas had said some very interesting things about Rand and Min, and because his business was not urgent, Mistral had decided to accompany his friend to the training field instead of possibly waking Saetan. Rand and Min both stood in confounded glee for a moment while Mistral explained his appearance and then let them respectfully, and somewhat fearfully, approach him.

*I'm sorry, Prince Mistral,* Min began, on a common thread, for her and Rand both as they drew to within a pace of the spectacularly beautiful creature. *You will have to excuse our reactions just now. We have only been here in Kaleer for a couple of days, or been conscious for two of them passing at least. And I'm not sure about Rand, but right now I'm having trouble believing that you truly exist. Between the Craft that Healed Rand's wounds, these people's physical prowess with weapons of every shape and size, and seeing you and Kaelas hanging out at the edge of the field together...* She turned her pretty face to Rand, then seemingly asked the air itself, loudly, just in front of Rand, "Blood and bloody ashes, am I dreaming, or is _this_ the Twisted Kingdom?"

Rand was similarly dumbstruck, though he was capable of holding it in. Until he realized that he suddenly found Min's daft reaction to the huge, sparklingly white unicorn to be the most wondrously hilarious thing he had ever heard or seen. He collapsed onto the grass in delighted laughter, and Min soon joined him. They folded over themselves in wild amusement, with more than a bit of hysteria mixed into it, for quite some time. They both had sore bellies and tears still streaming from their eyes when they arose.

Prince Mistral was not offended, and so had waited patiently as the hilarity subsided. He had grown used to humans, Blood and landen alike, since the horrible massacre of his kind had been perpetrated in Sceval years before. He had overcome his own prejudices and learned to judge all people and animals by their actions, not their race or species. The very protective Arcerian cat had already explained that Min was becoming a good friend of Jaenelle's, and that Rand had shown Kaelas no reason not to let the young man live.

Mistral also knew that he cut an intimidating figure. Even people who knew of the existence of unicorns in his world often balked when meeting him the first time. He would have it no other way. It would _not_ do for the Warlord Prince of Unicorns, and mate of the Queen of Unicorns to be some smallish, runty, commonplace stallion. He was one of the offspring of Kaetien, who had been the most impressive of his kind. In the last couple of years he had put on his last bit of growth. Mistral was now the largest and strongest unicorn in his herd, in his territory, and in all of the Realms Jaenelle and Saetan knew how to access.

He was an incredibly tall and massively muscled stallion in the peak of his prime. He stood over six feet tall at the withers and his long arcing neck and thick, spiraling conical horn made him look monumental. His great height placed his perspective above almost every creature in his world, and so he was slightly impressed at the height of this Rand al'Thor. It was not often that Mistral had to keep his gaze almost straight ahead to look a _man_ in the eye. He stared at Rand for a moment after the two humans rose, their eyes locked on each others not five feet apart.

The young man had a great amount of raw strength and determination in him, Mistral saw immediately. He was clearly a young Warlord Prince just cutting his Craft teeth, but he was already formidable. Kaelas and Jaenelle's acceptance of these strangers, and the fact that Mistral had often found himself genuinely enjoying the company of some humans, combined to make the Unicorn Warlord Prince's decision on how to treat Rand and Min an easy one.

To ensure they understood that he was no hallucination, and mostly because he enjoyed shocking people, the unicorn stallion strode to Min's side and told Rand curtly to put Min on his back. As soon as the little woman touched his back, Mistral accelerated quickly away from the group of humans. He had intended only to take her on a short but wild and terrifying spin before dropping her off in her lover's arms, hopefully laughing.

Mistral was _very_ pleasantly surprised when the diminutive young woman clamped her strong legs firmly around his girth with a shriek of laughter, and fearlessly grabbed thick handholds of his mane in her tiny fists within a step of take-off. Upon recognizing that he had a skilled rider on his back, the unicorn poured on the velocity and they embarked together on an epic romp around the training grounds at speeds a pitiful horse could never dream of accomplishing. The delightful psychic scent of the young witch, and the playfulness and enthusiasm of the mind he connected with while romping, completely endeared Min to the Warlord stallion. They jumped and leapt and raced around the grounds at fantastic speeds for many minutes before heading back to the group near the weapons-storage building.

Min had never felt such velocity and Power before, and had never been as exhilarated as she was while she and Mistral seemed to fly across the field together. Mistral showed her how to share physical sensations when connected psychically. The feeling of actually _being_ the stallion, while still feeling the wind rippling through her own hair, was phenomenally pleasant and useful. Min's close connection to Mistral allowed her to perfectly anticipate turns and jumps, transforming unicorn and rider into something fluid and inseparable. She was delightedly laughing when the two trotted back to Rand, and she was so happy she jumped right off of the tall stallion's back and into Rand's arms.

Ten minutes later, when Min had stopped quivering with excitement at what she had just experienced and had kissed Rand at least thirty times after knocking him flying coming off of the unicorn, they were laughingly told by Jaenelle that breakfast would be served soon. They emphatically thanked everyone present for the instruction that morning, and they all dispersed to clean up after the workout and get ready for breakfast. They were walking toward the Hall, arm in arm, talking about unicorns and Blademasters when Min blurted, "I don't care how long we end up stuck here, Rand. I love it. I just _love it_."

***Warning: The next chapter is sexy, sensual and downright licentious. (X-Rated) Do not continue reading if you are easily offended. ***

Reviews are appreciated, good and bad. Thanks. I will gladly fix errors if they are pointed out to me... maybe...probably...


	11. Chapter 11 Bath Time

Look out guys/gals, this one has some sexy stuff in it. Do not continue reading if you are easily offended.

**Chapter 11** - Bath Time

Min excitedly dragged Rand back to the classy and spacious room they had been allotted. Rand stayed silent as they almost ran through the huge and luxurious building, he was feeling a little overwrought after the awakening he had just received. He had been prepared to meet people more skilled in weaponry than he, and animals capable of Craft. He and Min had been shown much, _much_ more than that. They had learned that the range and breadth of danger in this world was staggering. Was that why they were all so good at fighting? What was it that made them such superb warriors? And was there any way for Rand to become as proficient as Lucivar, or even Daemon?

With these thoughts and questions whirling around in his head, and the many new bruises inflicted by Lucivar and Daemon emphatically articulating their displeasure, Rand plopped into a seated position on the bed when they arrived. Min's chattering amused him, and he normally did _try_ to listen to most of what she was saying, but right now he was busy, pondering, so her sweet voice blew right through his head like a warm summer breeze. He was formulating questions for Lucivar and firming his resolve to learn everything possible while he peered about the room. With other things on his mind, Rand had completely failed to notice the lighting arrangement of their moderately sized accommodation. He saw now that at every seven feet around the suite, at about seven feet from the floor, a ball of what Rand assumed must be Craft-fire glowed. The fist-sized balls made vision in the chamber clear, as they didn't actually burn anything, but added somewhat Rand couldn't figure out for quite some time.

While he was toying with the idea of something being wrong with the _tone_ of the light, Min realized that nothing she had said for the last five or ten minutes had registered in her lover's head. Rand had a quizzical and thoughtful expression on his face while he ignored her existence completely. She had heard the theatrical groan he gave when he sat down on the soft bed, and she was feeling the burn from her morning exertions as well, but she found that to be no excuse for him to neglect her. She stomped from in front of the mirror inside of the massive armoire, the place she had been admiring herself in her workout wear, over to where he sat puzzling something out on the edge of the beautifully carved wood-canopied bed.

Half-way to Rand, the mercurial little witch decided she wasn't upset with him after all so she sped up a bit, while tearing off her sweat-encrusted shirt, and leapt into his arms, once again sending them both sprawling backward. Instead of hard turf, this time they tumbled together across the surface of their bed, entangling themselves in the sheets as they wrestled. Min squirmed like a fish when Rand tried to hold on to her gloriously slight but strong body. She slipped away from him like an eel, screeching softly with glee, stood up for long enough to lose the rest of her inhibitive clothing, and dove back into the sea of a bed her lover inhabited. He had somehow, miraculously, shed his own clothing in the time it took her to leap out and then caper beneath the covers again. The two strangers to this dark, dangerous and sensual world clasped each other's solid and bare bodies firmly, and threw themselves into rapturous, consuming passion for the second time that morning.

They had just started to explore the possibilities of their new ability to share physical sensations when their amorous intentions were thwarted. Someone was banging loudly and insistently on their suite door. Min tore herself away from Rand, who was very reluctant to let her leave at that point, and threw one of Rand's large shirts over her petite nude frame. As she neared the thick, sturdy portal, the hammering stopped abruptly. Min could clearly hear Jaenelle say, from outside in the corridor, "_Lucivar_, go down to the dining hall. I'll deal with this."

Min looked quickly behind her, to make sure Rand wasn't about to cleave the intruder in half with a fiery sword, or something equally drastic for interrupting them. He did not appear happy, by any means, but he had remained on the bed, laying on his back. He was mostly covered by the sheets, his arms cocked to hold his naked upper body at an angle above the bed, and his head faced her squarely, intelligent gray eyes still heavy with desire. Min turned back to the door as she opened the thick portal inward, schooling her face into a pleasant, inquiring expression.

"Pardon me for the disturbance," Jaenelle began with a mildly apologetic cast to her features, from her position just outside the fully-opened door. "Breakfast is ready whenever you are, but I thought you might like to see the bathing facilities here in the Hall before changing and coming down." She smiled widely as she finished and moved slightly, subconsciously, closer to the open aperture as Rand rose from the large bed and began to approach the two women on the threshold, completely nude and with no abashment at all.

Min just stood there, shocked, as Rand pushed away the sheets and advanced toward them from the bed-side, his recent arousal eminently apparent. He was a _very _impressive specimen, but was not normally the most demonstrative or exhibitive man. Min could not think of what to say or do as he casually and calmly strolled over to her side, throwing an affectionate arm around her shoulder, saying nothing and not hiding his bareness in the least. The small woman was already peeved at their love-making being interrupted, and Rand's marvelous exhibitionist act aroused and annoyed her enormously.

"We'll be with you in a moment." Min managed to snap out in a choked voice, when she had reigned-in her shock and come back to herself. She then slammed the door in Jaenelle's face. Min was fighting desperately to separate and identify the emotions and feelings running rampant through her mind and body. One second she was raging with jealousy and the next she was weak at the knees with lust, picturing Rand proudly displaying his prominent virility to Jaenelle on the walk across the room. She shook her head fiercely and slipped out from underneath Rand's arm, giving his engorged protuberance a smack with the back of her hand as she fled far enough away to look him in the eye without craning her neck.

"My brain," Min began, in a frigid tone, "does not have the mastery of language to supply me with what I want to say to you right now. You just... Put on a robe or something, and we'll... _ I'll_ deal with what you just did later," she snarled, storming past the smiling male to the single piece of furniture in which all of their clothing was stored. As she stomped from the doorway to the cabinet, she snarled again softly at the indulgent grin Rand wore on his mug.

She had rummaged through almost everything in their room by this point, and knew there were a couple bathrobe-sized bundles in the lower drawers of the cunningly crafted armoire. She grabbed at them, and saw immediately that they were custom-made to fit - probably two-and-a-half times the amount of material had been used to fabricate Rand's bathrobe as Min's. After she had pitched the robe at his head, and they had both swung them around their shoulders and tied them up, they found that the robes fit them perfectly and even had their names embroidered upon the breast. The embroidery was of a beautiful, dark and deep red fiber that assimilated light and then sparkled dazzlingly with its captured radiance. The rest of the robes was fashioned of the softest, thickest and most luxurious black fabric Min and Rand had ever encountered.

Min's amazement and pleasure with the decadent garment pushed her anger completely aside after only a few moments of standing still, just running her hands along on her new favourite apparel. Her sensual side, however, had come raging to the fore. She wrenched her thoughts away from _that,_ and grabbed Rand's hand as she glided back to the only exit from the suite.

When Min opened the door again, Jaenelle was waiting patiently across the wide hallway with Prince Smoke. "Oh, Jaenelle, these robes are fabulous!" Min stated as she virtually ran into the woman's arms. "Hi Smoke," she added as an afterthought when Jaenelle released her from the impromptu embrace.

Jaenelle smiled hugely and laughingly informed her guests, "The last time Sabrina and Aaron were at the Hall, Aaron obliquely mentioned that sales of weavings and thread have plummeted in Dharo since the Purging. Sabrina is the Queen of Dharo, and a good friend of mine, but she is an absolute favorite of Saetan's. He thinks of her as the 'niece' he never had. He actually has the gall to call her that in the hearing of most of his female relatives. Anyway, we now possess an entire chamber in the basement of SaDiablo Hall stuffed to the brim with all kinds of absurdly expensive exported textiles from Dharo. That material is known as plush-weave spidersilk, and is embroidered with insanely expensive and rare Widow-Woven spidersilk, a product that no-one other than the Queens of Dharo and Arachnia know how to produce. Saetan decided that single-handedly rescuing the economy of a relatively small territory was 'the least I could do as Uncle Saetan'." Jaenelle finished her short narrative in deep, silkily melodious tones, capturing her adoptive father's voice exactly.

Min laughed along with Rand at Jaenelle's amusing little anecdote, but mentally tallied the mounting evidence affirming her suspicions that these were powerful and astronomically wealthy people. She linked arms with Rand, who had come up beside her, and peered up into his expressive face. He wore an acquiescent smirk and his eyes glimmered, no longer in awe of everything around him but acknowledging it's indelible impact upon his ego.

Jaenelle then took Min by the hand in order to lead her and Rand down the stairs and down a hallway a ways. She led them to the recognizable intersection they were accustomed to using, to avoid losing themselves in the gargantuan structure, and proceeded to lead them through to an area they hadn't explored yet. Jaenelle quickly threw open the door of one of the chambers along the hall, and then stepped back to watch her guest's reactions.

Rand just stood calmly beside Min as she admired the bathroom with wide eyes. When Jaenelle got around to explaining the shower-stall that had perplexed Min, and the Craft-assisted, hot running water that fed it, Min leapt into the large and well-appointed bathroom with verve. She happily examined all of the faucets and flushed the commode several times in childish animation.

Jaenelle had a good laugh at Min's reaction and told them that breakfast would be ready whenever they were. She closed the solid door of the bathroom as she left, still chuckling and shaking her head.

Min and Rand both jettisoned their robes onto the long marble counter the instant the door swung shut. Min was in the shower-stall and playing with the faucets as Rand grabbed what he thought must be soap from one of the many baskets of products filling the shelves which were cut into the stone of the wall across from the counter. He brought his find into the shower and showed it to Min, who had just balanced the flows of hot and cold water to her satisfaction, and she absently put it on a small shelf within the shower-stall itself.

They reveled in the novelty of standing beneath several different streams of water, spouting out of metal pipes at differing angles above their heads, for only a few moments. Min had not forgotten the stab of jealousy, anger and raw, animalistic lust that had ambushed her when Rand had flaunted himself before another woman. She wound up and gave him a resounding smack on the wet shoulder and plunged into berating him, "You witless nincompoop, what in the Hell was that about? Swinging your wares around in front of Jaenelle? Damn it all, _don't_ _laugh at me! _ You'd damn well better explain yourself!" she finished heatedly as he chuckled.

Rand quelled his amusement quickly, knowing that if he caught her now, before she _really_ got upset, he would be able to explain everything adequately. He did an admirable job of moderating his tone as he told Min about meeting Witch in the Abyss. He told Min honestly about his visceral reaction to the alluring woman when she revealed herself, and then he relayed the relief he had felt, in the Abyss and on the training grounds that morning, that Jaenelle did not want him as a lover.

Min was somewhat mollified. She had eased her aggressive posture as Rand finished his explanation, but was still feeling quite aroused and annoyed. "So, you think that 'fair is fair'?" she began, "You decided to strut your stuff in some macho, 'you show me yours and I'll show you mine', pantomime? You're living on the edge, Buster."

Rand could tell that she was no longer truly angry. The bantering tone of her warning, and her body language as she swept back into the sphere of his arms, however, demonstrated clearly to him that he had narrowly averted disaster. He cradled the lovely young witch's face in his hand and made sure she was looking into his eyes. "I love you, never doubt that. I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I will not expose myself to the locals any more." He said, completely sober and solemn.

"There's no hope for you..." Min started to say after letting a peal of laughter ring out. That was as far as she got, as Rand picked her right off of her feet and brought her close for an incredibly passionate kiss. All thoughts of other women were blown entirely from Min's mind as the powerful eroticism of her lover, and their surroundings, swept away her inhibitions and swept away her very self for a time.

Together, Min and Rand rode a ferociously undulating wave of Power and carnal desire. Min had learned to share physical sensations only that morning, and Rand had known how to link with other channelers for a long time but had never tried it with Min. Now they linked so fully and seamlessly that they could hardly tell whose limb was whose. The sensation of _being_ the other, while still aware and appreciative of their normal senses, was a phenomenally potent aphrodisiac.

Min could barely tell up from down. Rand had laid her gently down in the huge shower-stall and kissed her soundly on the lips before starting at her toes with butterfly kisses, stroking the small mound between her thighs with his strong, dexterous fingers as he kissed his way up her body. The combination of what Rand was doing with his mouth and hand, and the steaming-hot water cascading over the two, pushed Min to a height of sensation she had never before reached.

Whenever she noticed that his face was close, she kissed him fervently, other times she lay back in a state of almost catatonic ecstasy. She felt Rand _everywhere_, and knew he was using Craft or the One Power to stroke and fondle her, as she had no idea which mouth suckling at her flesh was the real one. She loved each and every moment of his attentions, but was increasingly conscious of a growing ache in her loins, a flaming, throbbing yearn she had never endured before. It was pleasurable in its own fashion, for a time, but as the pulse within her abdomen grew more and more insistent, she wondered at its cause.

She understood suddenly as she was rapidly ascending to the peak of another wave of pleasure due to the ministrations of Rand's phantom hands. The sensation of her nipples and ear-lobes being suckled was swept away by a brutal and overpowering tidal-wave of gratification as Rand finally penetrated her. Every time he drew away and pulled out, the ache returned, it diminished slowly only as he thrust into Min's accommodating cavity deeper, and with greater force every time he re-entered. His energy was prodigious as he rushed into the slight, petite woman from behind, both of them on their knees in the shower-bay. She bucked aggressively back against his thick, powerful member in rapturous bliss, upping the pace of their coitus to a frenetic, almost demented level as she was transported to the extreme limits of her sensual capacities. She couldn't help the loud moaning emitted through her throat, nor stop the spasmodic vibration of every muscle in her slender frame as the tidal wave of sexual euphoria _finally _crested and slowly, oh so slowly, receded.

Rand lovingly tasted and stroked every inch of her body. He had investigated and penetrated every cavity, making them both climax repeatedly by the time she managed to pull her rational mental state back from the nirvana she had temporarily ascended to. She was exhausted by the Power of her own lust, wrung-out by the sensations she still felt thrumming through her. She opened her eyes for the first time in a long while and saw Rand leaning on one elbow, staring down at her. He grinned and his beautiful gray eyes flashed desire and repressed mirth. She smiled at him and, looking down his wonderfully lean and exquisitely muscled body, noticed he was not necessarily finished for the moment. Min slipped across the floor to his waist, pushed him onto his back, and grabbed his still thick, proud phallus in both of her hands. She watched his face and felt her own hands stroking up and then down the considerable length of him through their link for a few moments before she leaned over and eagerly took him into her mouth. The gratification of his specific physical desires was completely incidental that morning, as Rand and Min both experienced another transcendently pleasant facet of their sexual selves.

More than two hours later, Min and Rand opened the door to the bathroom and peeked furtively out into the hallway. There was nobody around and nothing in the hall but a web, about two feet by two feet square, placed in the center of the hall on the plush blue carpet. It had been woven with a large amount of spidersilk that still glistened with the drops of blood held upon it's fibers. Most of those fibers, however, had been snapped. The web-work previously stretched between the thumb-thick black wooden stiles had recoiled, and wound around itself, obscuring the square of black wood completely. The rectangular mounting was now covered by a beautiful skein of colorless, almost translucent spidersilk shimmering with small amounts of residual Power that glinted at them with the many small red smears of blood entwined therein. They shrugged at each other and proceeded to trot through the halls hand in hand on their way to get dressed and see if some breakfast, or lunch by this time, might be available.


	12. Chapter 12 Tact and Understatement

**Chapter 12** - Tact and Understatement

Surreal sat at the table in the dining room chatting with Jaenelle and Saetan. She had found Gabrielle and Chaosti still at the Hall after training, and her two relatives sat and gabbed distractedly with them at the table as they all waited for Min, and especially Rand to come down from their room. The two full-blooded Dea al Mon had planned to leave the Hall the day before after assuring themselves that Rand was Healed and the situation was under control. Their plans had altered when they had sensed Rand and Jaenelle's display of Power on the training field. They had decided to stick around the Hall this morning, doing their best to ignore the prevailing atmosphere. Everyone else around the Hall, including most of the servants, had found interesting and urgent things to do in local cities or distant territories within the last two hours. Not many people were comfortable around such potent ejections of thought and sensation as were radiating from the bathroom in the family wing.

Surreal was very well attuned to the many nuances of sexual psychic emissions. Having spent a number of her formative years as a uniquely beautiful and alluring young witch on the dirty, unforgiving streets of a large city in Terrielle, and then hundreds of years as a ludicrously expensive courtesan, she was well acquainted with all kinds of subtly and blatantly aired signals. As a Blood female working as a prostitute, Surreal had had to become very familiar with violent and passionate emotions for her own safety. She had become very adept with knives as a young witch, but her best defense had always been an awareness of other's mental and psychic transmissions that was preternaturally acute. She had known, as soon as things got hot in the bedroom and then the shower, that Rand and Min were just having a good old time, completely consensually, if rather spectacularly. Not everyone was as sensitive as she, so when Clarity came to her room at the Hall with Smoke in tow, asking her to help them 'deal with Rand', she took the wolves with her and hastened down to the dining room to find Jaenelle.

By the time she and the wolves had negotiated their way to the breakfast chamber, Lucivar, Marian and Daemon had taken Kaelas and gone to Sceval with Mistral, and Karla had departed for home with Ladvarian and his friends to Glacia. The psychic fireworks had ceased from down the hall, but remnants of the heavy miasma of lust that had been broadcast by Rand still lingered. It was muted somewhat in the dining room, but was still palpable. As she plopped into a chair Saetan had risen to pull out for her, Surreal commented to the assembled humans, "Someone's got to teach that boy to Shield soon." and then muttered loudly to herself, "Sometimes I hate being single." Surreal explained to everyone how the two wolves had been concerned for Min, but that, in her own expert opinion, there was no cause for worry.

Jaenelle laughed out loud while Saetan merely snorted softly, shook his handsome head and concealed a nostalgic smile to himself while making his way to his own seat. Jaenelle's extraordinary senses were much more acute than even Surreal's, and her control of those senses was usually sufficient. This time, however, she had been unable to stop the piercing emanations radiating from the bedroom or bathroom. The web she had expressly woven to contain them had been broken effortlessly, and for the first time ever she had been unable to Shield anyone... including herself.

Rand's psychic symphony of sexual stimulation had scythed into everyone. Jaenelle had never been a spectator, or an eavesdropper, of signals that intense. She knew that she and Daemon often reached a fever-pitch during their love-making, but Rand's display was something else. With Saetan's assistance she had finally managed to weave a web to make the dining room habitable for the people left in the Hall, but it had been an interesting hour before the two Black Widows had engineered a way to Shield the smallish area together.

All of the humans smiled widely as Min bounced into the room with Rand cooly gliding along behind. Rand had changed into the nicest of the new clothing provided him, ones Min had found in their cabinet and insisted he wear immediately. He looked very tall and quite resplendent in a soft gray colored silk shirt under a short and severely tailored black and red jacket. The dashing coat had slightly flaring shoulders and a cinched waist pulling it in above a pair of fine black pantaloons tucked into new and highly polished knee-high black leather boots. Min had found the incredibly soft and showy footwear in the back of their armoire, having been delivered while the two lovers were in the shower. Rand strutted over to the table in his dapper new outfit behind lively Min with an amused and indulgent look in his eyes and a small grin on his face.

Min was wearing black silk pants, they could see, poking along with her leather-sandaled feet out from beneath the hem of the bathrobe she had discovered earlier. She explained quickly, upon entering the chamber and bounding over to the table ahead of Rand, that if they didn't mind, and if it was socially acceptable, she was going to wear her wonderful new robe every day.

Jaenelle, as the acting Queen in the Hall, gave Min license to wear the robe whenever and wherever she wanted, laughing quite fondly at the sweet girl while she did. Min's ebullient and sprightly entrance, and the obvious love between the two strangers to their Realm calmed everyone considerably. There was still a slight reverberation in the psychic currents surrounding them all from Rand's many climaxes, but the stirring sensuality ebbed even further at the now peaceful and complaisant flows of psychic Power emanating from the tall, handsome man.

After Jaenelle's proclamation that Min could dress as she pleased, the lovers once again entwined elbows and cruised over to chairs together. A large silver platter of food sat upon the black wood table, piled high with sandwiches and fruit provided by servants fled from the Hall hours before. Beside the platter sat several carafes of juice and fine wine, as well as a plethora of condiments for the sandwiches. As Rand and Min selected their first sandwich and spread combination, Jaenelle pondered how to tactfully and yet efficiently solve the newly realized problem.

As Jaenelle had been unanimously voted, by those still at the Hall, to be the one to inform Rand and Min of local customs and proprieties, to buy herself a little bit of time she inquired once again if they were satisfied with the relatively small chamber they had been accommodated. Jaenelle explained that an entire apartment or Queen's suites could easily be made up for them, and that it was just convenience that had placed Min in that modest chamber while she Healed.

Min quickly demurred, saying that the room they had was just fine and that they wouldn't want to be a bother. Rand smiled easily as he shrugged and replied, "Whatever she thinks." He turned his gray eyes from Jaenelle at this point and sat watching Min in the seat beside him with a patient expression.

Min squirmed after a moment under Rand's seemingly innocuous scrutiny, running her small hands over the arms of her sumptuous robe. "Okay, sure," she betrayed her interest a moment later, "I guess that if you have the rooms, and they aren't being used, well, it's silly of us not to use them... right?"

Once again, the young, charming little witch's comments brought a hearty chuckle from several people around the table. Jaenelle quickly informed Helene psychically that their guests would take one of the visiting Queen's apartments when they could be made ready, advised Rand and Min that their things would be moved, and that a servant would show them to their new accommodations when they were ready. Jaenelle felt she had had enough time to prepare at that point to tackle the subject forefront on all the minds of the Hall's inhabitants.

Jaenelle began in her clinical Healer voice, "Rand, there are some things I need to discuss with you and Min now. I mentioned yesterday that the barrier within your mind is very different from what the Blood have developed over the millennia. As the Blood evolved as magic-using creatures, we all found the need to extend mental barriers, or Shields. These barriers work in many ways. All creatures capable of Craft can emit a wide array of psychic emanations, and most are taught at a young age to guard the release of their own, as well as block out the bleating of others. It is the accepted custom and convention in our Realms to Shield strong emotions, or at least the ones of an explicitly sexual nature."

Her cool, laconic tone faltered. She continued quickly though, "Your barriers are very formidable when it comes to Power release and input, but Rand..." Here Jaenelle's voice warmed markedly as she shook her head and chucklingly informed him, "Your Shield doesn't do anything about your emotional ejaculations. The tryst you and Min just enjoyed in several places in the Hall affected everybody. I was completely unable to Shield you two, and your emissions ravaged easily through the web I wove in haste in an attempt to divert the current."

She stopped speaking for a moment, looking at the slightly shocked, and definitely embarrassed faces of her guests. Jaenelle could feel the blood rushing through her veins, making her own countenance flush as she continued. "Our first task this afternoon is to show Rand how to Shield properly his psychic expressions. No one is angry, but it took Saetan and I over an hour to weave a web capable of making this single dining-room livably free of the substantial haze of sexual heat you created in the entire Hall." She sat still in her chair then, blushing slightly and watching Min, and Rand particularly, to see how they would react.

Min's entire face and exposed parts of her upper body were flaming with abundant awkwardness and abashment, from where the robe came apart above her breasts to the roots of her short dark hair. Her mouth opened and closed, silently casting about for an excuse, or something, anything to alleviate the complex tensions in the dining room.

Rand studied the varied expressions on the faces around the table as Jaenelle finished. He then turned his attention to Min for a moment before starting to laugh richly. He shook his head ruefully as he apologized sincerely to the group and eagerly accepted Jaenelle's offer to teach him how to Shield.

"I would have shown you the trick of it yesterday, Rand, but your emotions had been so contained until this morning... They took us all quite by surprise, and we thought the physical exertions Lucivar put you through would temporarily quell your ardor." Jaenelle had returned to her calm, collected self by this point.

"As I explained to you all at our last meal together," Rand decided to elucidate his past for the strangers. "I have had to develop my own 'barriers', if you will, within the last couple years. I will freely admit, now that I have some perspective on it, that I was a whiny and insufferable prick at many times." He turned his head from the intently and calmly listening strangers to Min's somewhat shocked countenance. "It took me a long time to realize that I was the Dragon Reborn, and even when it did dawn on me that I had a massive responsibility to the people in my world, I acted as a child would."

Rand continued after a moment of introspective thought, still facing Min but directing his words to everyone. "I threw fits. I disappeared for days at a time. I tried desperately to harden myself, emotionally and physically, shutting myself off from all feeling. I fortified my soul, temporarily relinquishing what I now recognize as the only reasons a man like me has to live - passion and love. I grew cold and curt, kept my dealings with most of those I care about at a minimum. As the Blood did, I formulated a blockade for emotions and became fairly adept at controlling myself."

His voice changed slightly, "I acted like a complete ass, and Min here took the brunt of a lot of it." He softened his tone considerably then, and he took Min's hand in his and moved closer to her. "I'm _so_ sorry. You are the reason I'm still alive and kicking right now, Min. You especially, but Aviendah and Elayne as well, are the true reasons I didn't melt down into useless slag while being reforged. I took the opportunity this morning to show you how I felt about that. I hope you didn't mind."

"Not so long as you promise to do it again." Min answered quickly, blushing fiercely once more.

Rand turned to everyone and addressed the group with a wry grin on his face. "So once again, I'm sorry for the way my blundering attentions perturbed some people this morning. I was trying a few new things, while delving into emotions I hadn't released in a long time. I may have gotten a little carried away."

There were a couple sets of raised eyebrows around the table at his understatement. When Rand had enumerated the crucial events that had shaped his last few years of life, he had only obliquely mentioned the other women Aviendah and Elayne. He had made it clear that both women were important to him, but hadn't made it transparent to his listeners that he had romantic and sexual relationships with three separate women, at the same time. Saetan chuckled gently to himself, thinking of the discussion to come between him and Rand in private. He pushed those thoughts aside for a moment and began a partial explanation of why Rand and Min may have been especially uninhibited in the room and bathroom they had used.

"Some of the blame for this morning's misadventure rests on our shoulders, Rand. I'm sure you've noticed the balls of Craft-fire that light all of the rooms in the Hall. We've found this to be the most pleasant and efficient way to light our residences for a long time. Recently Lucivar's wife, Marian, a very clever and resourceful Purple-Dusk Hearth Witch, has taken to changing the colour and tone of the lights in certain sections of the Hall. You may not have noticed, but the chamber Min was placed in when she first arrived has an almost imperceptible blue hue to the lighting. We've found, through trial and error over the last couple years, that these colours directly affect the mood and ambiance in each chamber, and that different shadings have greatly varying effects."

Jaenelle continued for Saetan when his voice slowed and he seemed to be casting about for words. She grinningly informed the two guests, "That blue light scheme makes everyone spectacularly horny. The first time Marian, with the help of Helene, changed the lighting tone in our bedroom, Daemon and I could hardly tear ourselves away from the bed for two whole days. As you can see, this dining room has a slightly yellow tinge to the light. We've found that to be the most comforting and calming, and so that tone is now used in most of the public areas of the Hall. Marian thought it would be amusing to leave the blue lights in your suite, Min, just to see what might transpire." Jaenelle's face as she finished her explanation showed clearly that Rand's display, while not being completely unexpected, had disconcerted a few residents of the Hall.

Jaenelle went on quickly, now back to her normal, slightly musical and friendly tones. "When you are shown to your new rooms later, Helene will explain and change the lighting scheme as you choose. I'll warn you though, any amount of red lighting creates almost the opposite effect as blue. For no reason you will become angry and irritable in a room with red-tinged lights, and the carnal affections inspired by the colour will be much sharper and more aggressive than I believe either of you are used to. Feel free to do as you wish, but forewarned is forearmed."

In the same friendly voice Jaenelle continued, "I have said that it is custom among the Blood to Shield strong emotions, and most times this is true. But there are a few exceptions to these conventions that I must explain. The men and women in the SaDiablo family are rather well known in our Realms for being... How shall I say it? Quite graphically expressive when we choose to be." Jaenelle took a short moment to gather her thoughts. "One of the greatest assets of a Queen or a Warlord Prince, or any Blood individual in our world is our ability to broadcast inaudible signals of hostility, submission, acceptance, fear, and especially rage. These signals inform everyone in the vicinity of the Power and disposition of the person sending them. It is an efficient way to gauge the strength of a person's Jewels, and their relative position in the Caste system I described for you yesterday. Many confrontations are resolved simply by the clashing, and sampling, of non-verbal psychic emissions."

Jaenelle's face heated again slightly as she continued. "As I'm sure you know, there are also physical emissions and signs that communicate displeasure, arousal, and once again, especially rage." She stopped talking abruptly at that point, making the decision that she and Saetan would cover this specific topic separately with their guests. She planned to invite Min for some private girl-talk very soon, and knew that Saetan intended to have an informal meeting with Rand at the first opportunity.

"Anyways, that explains things well enough for now." Jaenelle rose from her chair and moved around the table to stand behind the seats Rand and Min occupied. The guests turned their chairs ninety degrees so they faced each other and could clearly see Jaenelle as well. "If you would link with me again, I will show you a trick to leashing your psychic tendrils. And I will show you how to release them in focused bursts, to identify yourself to others or to warn people of your Power, without anything being spoken."

Rand nodded his head in understanding. He had been immediately aware of the heavy tension in the study, where he had met Daemon and Lucivar the day before, and how the blatant agitation and hostility in the men had been assuaged markedly when Jaenelle made her proclamation about Rand's oath. Rand had been too exhilarated and befuddled by the immensity of their combined Power on the training field later that day to notice specific reactions from the witches and Warlord Princes surrounding them, and the rest of their time spent with the hosts was cordially spent, with him growing more and more tired as the afternoon waned. He watched Min's face as he recalled the events of the day before.

Min still had a light blush colouring her pretty features. She had been vaguely aware of the emotions and impressions of strong feelings swirling through the ether in this strange world, but had accredited it to her own excitement and heightened perception. She was quite used to seeing, and sometimes even understanding, things that no others around her were able to, and was very pleased that she and Rand would _both_ be able to learn to decipher _all_ of these signals. She gladly reached out to Rand, who was sitting very still and watching her, and clutching his left forearm she smiled and turned to reach her free hand to Jaenelle.

Now that Jaenelle could link easily with her guests it took only a few moments to demonstrate and advise the lovers how to control their psychic discharge. She also showed Rand how to communicate and interact without pushing a part of his psyche into the Twisted Kingdom. This lesson took by far the most time, as Rand was accustomed to the battle that was saidin, and found it very strange to use inborn, natural abilities without augmenting them with the One Power, or inadvertently shouting them with Craft. Jaenelle was impressed again at the intelligence obvious in her new friends, the facile and adroit adaptive capabilities of their young minds was considerable and clearly evident with this type of linking. They both easily identified and then copied the barrier technique shown to them, and Rand's difficulty regulating the strength of the signals sent was the only complication. The sated and complaisant flows of Power from Rand were stifled, and slowly the usual atmosphere returned to the dining room.


	13. Chapter 13 Dipping a Toe

**Chapter 13** - Dipping a Toe

Gabrielle and Chaosti had sat unmoving, calmly listening as Jaenelle and Saetan explained local customs to Rand and Min. They couldn't restrain their amusement at the reaction Jaenelle's pithy and blunt statements received from the two strangers to these Realms, but it was brightly sparkling eyes, not guffaws, that displayed their mirth. Min's adorable reaction to the offer of a Queen's chambers, and Rand's earnest and sincere apology and acceptance of Jaenelle's training had soothed the rough edges both Dea al Mon had noticed on their tempers since the display of Power the day before. The happily married couple had calmed further as Rand honestly admitted some of his own blunders and misconceptions, before Jaenelle approached and began to instruct them. The Children of the Wood sat silently, waiting patiently while Jaenelle finished her lesson and returned to her seat. When she had, Gabrielle stood and smiled tightly toward Rand and Min.

The Queen of the Dea al Mon started speaking in a clear and warm tone, addressing the guests. "I'm glad Jaenelle got that out of the way. I will be happy to tell either of you more about our society and conventions later, but I have something we need to discuss, all of us." Her eyes scanned over every face in the dining room to make sure that they understood what she was about to say was important.

Gabrielle spoke in the same timber and cadence of voice Jaenelle often employed; Healer giving dispassionate evidence. "Yesterday on the training ground, you two linked, and while connected you held as much Power as any person living has ever held. We need to understand this, and I believe that Chaosti and I may have exclusive insight into how it was possible." She turned her intense gray-and-blue flecked eyes to Jaenelle and Saetan. "We've never mentioned this, for one reason or another, but the Dea al Mon know how to maintain a connection with the Twisted Kingdom at all times." She stopped when she saw the cast of disbelief and misgiving on her oldest friend's face.

"I'm sorry, Jaenelle," Gabrielle continued momentarily, warming her tone, trying to make her best friend understand. "You spiral into your core at an incredibly fast rate, and Daemon and Saetan are so strong that we didn't think it was important for you to know." She quickly explained to the group around the table that, thanks to being the most secretive and insular of the races in Kaleer, the Children of the Wood had developed certain skills and ceremonies that made possible what other Blood thought absurd, or untenable.

She related an instance where her remarkably quick capabilities of Power rejuvenation had been noticed by Saetan. Years before in Sceval, Gabrielle had held the young unicorn stallion Mistral suspended, completely off the ground, when he had attempted to run to his mate Moonshadow, endangering the intricate and draining Craft work Gabrielle had used to Heal his leg injury. Gabrielle explained that although she was by far the most proficient, all Dea al Mon who could perform Craft at a certain level had the unique ability to 'dip a toe', as they call it, into the substance of madness itself. They had evolved their own specific barriers to protect their cores from the Twisted Kingdom, and were thereby able to partially access an eternal wellspring of Power, constantly.

Gabrielle's admission clearly rocked Jaenelle. Saetan appeared slightly surprised, but had a contemplative look, as if he had heard or read about something like this before but could not remember when or where. When neither Jaenelle nor Saetan spoke into the strained silence left by Gabrielle's story, she continued. "We have also engineered a way to speak to those who are dead, or Demon-dead. Our Black Widows can, with a combination of woven webs and ceremony, imbue a recently diseased spirit with enough energy to communicate psychically. Even a spirit that was too weak to become Demon-dead may be sometimes found before it has fully returned to the Darkness, found and held long enough to glean useful bits of information from, or to simply supply comfort and assurances to.

Saetan started up from his chair at that point and snapped the fingers on his right hand. "That's it!" He had finally recalled his meeting with Demon-dead Titian, Surreal's mother and Gabrielle's kinswoman, a long time ago in his study in Hell. He stood and excitedly related that exchange to the group around the table, how his first encounter with Titian had been unsettling and tense, an irate Dea al Mon Black Widow, who happened to be the Queen of the Harpies, squaring off against a protective and worried High Lord of Hell. "Titian said something that time... Oh, what was it... aha! 'The Dea al Mon aren't squeamish about dealing with those who live in the forever-twilight of the Dark Realm'. As I had many other more important concerns on my mind at the time, the remark slipped from my consciousness and I never revisited the thoughts and questions it had brought up." Saetan appeared very happy with himself at remembering such an esoteric bit of trivia from a conversation held years ago. He sat back down into his comfortable armchair with a grin livening his handsome features.

Jaenelle began to speak then, ignoring Saetan completely, obviously tabulating strange things she had noticed about Gabrielle or Chaosti over the years in her head as she started haltingly. "So... That was why your Jewel was sparkling with Power again after only four hours of rest following Rand's Healing... And I've always been astounded by your stamina, physically and in regard to Craft... I'm just a little hurt you never mentioned this to me." She finished with a soft voice.

Chaosti spoke up for the first time since Rand and Min had entered the room. He stood up beside Gabrielle and gave a chagrinned and slightly abashed smile to Saetan and Jaenelle, "I actually asked Grandmammy Teele once if I could tell you two, but you know her. I have no idea if someone or something told her not to tell anyone outside of the Dea al Mon , but she would have whipped our butts if we had been the ones to disclose to you what she has decreed 'family secrets'.

Surreal just sat there, completely shocked. She had been formally accepted into the family; she had become a Child of the Wood, she thought. Now she learned that they could, and definitely should (in her opinion), teach her how to recharge her Jewels with amazing rapidity, and access a Power she had thought nobody could use. She decided to keep her pain and questions inside, for now. Just to see if the forthcoming chat would alleviate the wintry chill she felt frosting her heart. She had lived as a fairly solitary woman for hundreds of years, and only in the last few years had Surreal truly bonded to people, become part of a family. She had thought that being half-Hayllian meant nothing to her Dea al Mon relatives, but maybe she had been excluded from more of their culture and history than just this, because of the circumstances of her birth, or other reasons. She repressed the burning urge to jump onto the table and start railing at Chaosti and Gabrielle for being lousy cousins. Surreal merely remained still, stewing in her seat playing with a table-knife, watching everyone still seated around the table.

Gabrielle continued into the silence, "I believe that what Rand is doing when he 'seizes saidin', as he calls it, is using a Dea al Mon technique with an unheard of level of proficiency. He thrusts a minuscule part of his psyche into the Twisted Kingdom, while leaving the functional part of his mind in our Realm. Chaosti and I can do this to a small extent, but neither of us have seen, or even heard stories of anyone doing this as deeply and recklessly as Rand here does."

There was another lengthy silence in the dining chamber then. Rand and Min were fascinated by Gabrielle's explanation, regardless of the fact that they had no real idea of what it meant. Rand thought quickly about the difference between saidar and saidin, and the sensations he had noted when he and Nynaeve had linked to cleanse the Taint in saidin. Maybe the tranquil and pleasant river that saidar resembled was like the Darkness traveled through in one's core, and the wild and frenetic rush that was saidin was the plunge into insanity itself, he didn't know. It could certainly explain why many men had died badly or were driven insane, even before the Dark One's Taint, while learning to cope with the raging magics within them.

Rand told the group about the great differences in the male and female half of the One Power. He hypothesized that Gabrielle was correct, as he had noticed that Jaenelle's Power felt quite similar to saidar, but reacted in an astonishing way he had not understood. He had found that the two sides of the One Power attracted and opposed each other, and he had had to awkwardly maneuver the two into an uncooperative symbiosis when cleansing the Taint. The Power in this new Realm, however, appeared more than willing to entwine with and synergize the Power of a man's casting. His very limited understanding of the Craft these people employed made his comments inventive conjecture only, and so he trailed off after a few moments of getting no constructive response from his audience.

Only a couple comments and suggestions were batted back and forth about the table in the next half hour or so. Rand and Min concentrated on eating while the rest thought about Gabrielle's confession and it's inevitable impact upon them all. Saetan and Jaenelle calmly pondered the consequences and influence this revelation could have on the ways they perform Craft, while Surreal continued to steam in annoyance and acrimony. She felt nothing but contempt toward the cavalier attitude adopted by Gabrielle, during the disclosure of her remarkable talents, and couldn't help feeling excluded somehow from one of the only groups of people Surreal felt she had bound herself to.

Jaenelle noticed that Rand and Min had finished lunch, and so she offered them an escort to their new chambers. She knew that no earth-shaking conclusions were going to be made this afternoon concerning Gabrielle's attested abilities, and she wanted to discuss this situation with Gabrielle and Saetan alone, before Rand made his own intemperate leaps of logic. She summoned Helene to the dining room, and when the housekeeper arrived Rand and Min were sent with her to examine their new living arrangements. Jaenelle asked Min to meet with her after a couple of hours, as Jaenelle had Queenly things to take care of early in the afternoon, and Min readily agreed. Saetan also inquired whether Rand would care to meet with him in his basement study sometime that afternoon and received a positive reply as well.

Rand and Min left the dining room trailing Helene, and Surreal left quickly as well, taking the wolves with her as she walked calmly out of the room and then stormed out of the Hall into the sunlight. Saetan and Jaenelle sat back down around the table with Gabrielle and Chaosti, none of them noticing Surreal's uncharacteristic silence, nor the waves of discontent and dismay wafting from the angry female.


	14. Chapter 14 New Digs

**Chapter 14** - New Digs

Rand and Min followed Helene into a section of the Hall known as the visitors wing, and then up to the fourth floor, all the while chatting affably with the pleasant housekeeper and peering about as they walked. While on their trek through parts of SaDiablo Hall that they had never seen, both Rand and Min noticed many spectacular pieces of art hanging in the hallways, and beautiful and intricate sculptures in small alcoves along the passageways. They also remarked upon the lighting scheme, as Jaenelle had mentioned, most of the light in the corridors and sitting and dining areas was slightly yellowish. The main entry foyer and one of the small sitting rooms shown to them on their way to their new chambers, however, were lit with clearly burning white balls of Craft. The transition between the yellow hallways and these white-lighted areas was astonishing the first time the newcomers to this Realm crossed into the entry hall with an eye to the decor and ambiance. The white glow provided nothing but illumination, it even seemed to strip the parchment-thin veneer of civility from the foyer, forcing one to note the monstrous black building stones and exquisitely carved bas-relief woodwork decorating the complete upper third of the walls. The grandeur of the sweeping black and silver staircase on one corner, and the dark, almost black pigment of the wood carvings contrasted sharply against the silver and gold that was tastefully and sparingly gilded into the few small pieces of furniture, making this single entrance into a sublime and yet austere statement of wealth and Power. The happy glow was gone here, the foyer was dramatically stark and stunning, hammering a clear message and challenge to those who enter; _know_ who and what it is you are dealing with when you pass through this room.

The chambers Rand and Min were escorted to were augustly epicurean. Their new accommodations consisted of three rooms and their own bathroom, each of them larger than the meager suite given to Min following her Healing. A tastefully appointed sitting room, easily large enough for a dozen seated people, acted as an ante-chamber to the main Queen's suite. The meeting room had more than enough space for the eight or so large heavy-looking chairs situated within. Each seat was a masterpiece of carved, lightly gilded and extravagantly upholstered wood, they sat in a circle with small but correspondingly handsome tables occasionally interspersed between the chairs. The dark stone walls along two sides of the room had shelves built out from them made of a glowing amber wood that softly and warmly reflected the light. On the abundant shelving was a wide variety of books, novelties, and nick-knacks, the uses and origins of most of which Rand and Min were completely ignorant. Min became truly excited when she noted that all of the books were exquisitely well-made, with wonderfully soft leather bindings and thick, heavy vellum.

All of their new rooms had windows, as all were situated along an outside wall of the Hall in a corner of the massive building. The antechamber had a fairly large window made of lengthy panes of clear glass held in place by artistically arranged, incredibly thin solid-silver mullions. The formal entrance had brought them from the corridor into the sitting room, facing toward the window on the outside wall. There was a double door on the left wall, it looked as though a rectangular hole was simply sliced through the shelving. The amber shelving jutted out from the black wall and created a minuscule corridor leading to the spectacularly carved golden-wood panels that constituted the double entrance doors to the Queen's chambers.

The regency suite was amazing, making Rand and Min both pause on the threshold, admiring its affective and impressive scheme. The suite was not much larger than the sitting room, but it was darkly magnificent. The entire room was an intricate forest-scape, a tribute and connection to the earth, and to the Darkness. While gawping at the luxurious room, the strangers traipsed over the softest and most incredibly plush dark green-coloured carpet they had ever seen. The dark stone walls had been covered completely in in ingenious fashion, drapes of thick material of all different lengths and colours hung from the walls, evoking the image of looking into a backwoods wilderness at twilight, with all the shades of shadow and shifting light encompassed therein. It was clear that there was a mild illusion to smooth the walls and heighten the appearance of trees and bush, and the room itself smelled of rich loam and cooling mountain-breeze wafting gently through it. The entire theme of the room was a return to an untouched woodland, an inspiring communion with nature.

Min found the counterpane on the monstrous bed in the center of the room to be a heavy and soft velvety material, perfectly matching the dark green woodland tones from the walls, laid over smooth white silk sheets. The vertical members holding the canopy over the bed were actual trees, or a material covered with realistic bark that ran up beyond the bed-covering and disappeared into the black shadows of the ceiling fourteen or fifteen feet from the floor. The ceiling itself was spelled to look as if one were gazing skyward at night, admiring the stars. The two large windows in the Queen's corner chamber were spectacular; many beautiful and huge expanses of crystal clear glass let abundant amounts of light come in. They were uncovered now, illuminating everything except the upper reaches of the ceiling, but there were incredibly heavy and extravagant curtains of dark, soft material that didn't feel quite like silk but was just as gloriously smooth and attractive, ready to be pulled over the windows to block out all light. As in their other room, a large black armoire sat in a corner, but this one was easily double the size and more elaborately fashioned than the one in their former suite. There were no chairs and only one large table underneath one of the windows, just a wide variety of deliciously soft looking throw-pillows and blankets in one corner. Min prowled around her new chambers with an animated, territorial gleam flashing in her brown eyes that Rand had never seen, but quite enjoyed. She squawked in pleasure, unable to articulate her glee, when she was shown by Helene that one of the windows had a counter-balanced section of it, allowing it to swing out and provide egress onto a large balcony, with just the flip of a single ingenious clasp. The stone platform extended in an arc, from five feet to either side of the huge expanse of glass to about eight feet out from the window at it's apex, and was furnished with two wrought iron chairs with a small matching iron table between them. Over-excited admirers of the view, such as Min, were held back from the four story drop by a stunningly intricate wrought-iron balustrade with copper, bronze and silver inlay all along it.

From the Queen's chamber there was a small door leading to a gorgeously appointed bathroom with a decor of dark stone and silver, with red and gold highlights. The metallic opulence conspicuously absent from the woodland realm that comprised the regency suite was back in force here. All of the faucets and fittings appeared to be made of solid red or yellow gold, and one of the black stone walls had strips of silver swirling over it in a gigantic spider-web pattern that was mesmerizing. The decoration continued right into the only window in the bathroom, the silver strips becoming support pieces for the frosted glass that allowed copious amounts of light in, while still obscuring the view. A beautiful and creamy white stone counter had two large sinks sunk into it's surface, and above the counter hung a flawless and massive mirror. The lovers now had their own shower, two sinks, a commode in a separate little cubby, and a huge bathtub made of gorgeous black and red-flaked stone that was almost large enough for Rand to swim in.

The consort's suite was through another door at the opposite end of the huge bathroom. The walls around the consort, or husband's sleeping chambers were covered in warm golden wood paneling with swirling tracks of dark wood-grain. The black and brown streaks seemed to almost leap out of the panels with the richness of lacquer or stain used, and the light coming from the window shone brightly off its highly polished surface. The furnishings were plain in comparison to the Queen's chamber, but a well made bed and a couple of large armchairs made the room feel comfortable and warm. The window was much smaller here, but let in enough light through its clear panes that it would provide sufficient illumination for reading during the day. There was a small door from the consort's suite back into the corridor, so a man could come and go easily without crossing through his Queen's space.


	15. Chapter 15 Private Lessons with

**Chapter 15** - Private Lessons with the Dragon Reborn

Min finally stopped asking Helene questions about lighting schemes and material origins some time later. The housekeeper shook her head and smiled at Rand and Min as she closed the double-doors to the Queen's suite on her way out. Rand had long since plopped onto the massive bed and remained there, laying on his right side with his head supported on a hand, bent elbow digging into the soft counterpane. He didn't bother moving while Min saw Helene out and prowled around the room once more. His gray eyes spoke of amusement and love as Min stalked over to the side of the bed and jumped up. She stretched out and rolled her slim body right into his, knocking him off of his elbow perch and onto his back. She rolled right onto him and squirmed until she was facing him, quickly straddling his body and peering into his comely face.

"Well," Min began in a playful tone, "you eager beaver, you. Going to be able to control yourself now?" She shifted her weight slightly at the hips to emphasize her meaning.

Immediately within the room there arose a hot, steamy surge of sweepingly erotic sensation, and Min was in the eye of the storm. There was no relief in this eye, however, as Rand's psychic sendings sheared through her Shield as if it didn't exist. Min was abruptly inundated by the powerful love and aphrodisia projected by Rand's mind. It appeared as though Rand was expressly becoming adroit at the articulation of his emotions within this new medium of communication.

After a few moments of letting Min feel a tiny piece of what she meant to him, Rand pulled his Power back to himself, giving Min one more intense stroke of pure love as he reigned it all in. "I think I can, but with you fidgeting about on top of me, I'm not so sure..." He pulled her beet-red face down to his and planted a deliciously slow and thorough kiss on her moist lips.

When the absorbing kiss was finally ended by Rand, Min sat up and slowly eased herself down beside him. "Wow," was all she could say for several moments. She snuggled up to Rand's side and he placed his left arm about her robed shoulders and they just lay together peacefully, in perfect contentment for a while.

"Alright, you've obviously done well with your lessons today. I won't be mad at you so long as you focus your sex-beams on me, and don't broadcast our carnal histrionics to the locals." Min started speaking again, still wrapped in Rand's handless arm. "But what the Hell are we going to do about this Offering business?" Sprightly Min bounced back to a seated position beside Rand and started questioning him.

She was very pleased with the way the morning had progressed so far. She had been horribly embarrassed when she had been informed that everyone in the Hall may as well have been in the bathroom with her and Rand during their fervent coitus. Jaenelle's somewhat tactful and quite humorously delivered explanations and advice had ameliorated Min's confusion and abashment,_ almost_ completely. This was a strange land with people _very_ different from any she had met, so Min could see how it would be easy for her and Rand to make mistakes, or create complete social blunders, now and again. She had been gratified by the grace and humour utilized by her hosts to diffuse the possibly highly offensive tensions raised by their 'misadventures', as Saetan had called them, that morning.

Min was also, however, slightly worried and incredibly excited about the rite she was to undergo that night. When Daemon had described the ritual ceremony known as the Offering to the Darkness, Min had been immensely intrigued. She desperately wanted the ability to control her visions, but the way Daemon had spoken, and the tone he had used while describing the ceremony had rattled her. She could still almost feel the silken intonation of his languidly cool voice on her neck as he told them what would occur if they delved too far. Karla's lecture on the training ground about Birthright Ceremonies had made Min wonder as well. If Rand or Min lost control while descending into the Abyss, or were pushed that way, as Min understood it, there would be nothing to stop them from being swept into permanent insanity.

When Rand looked at her as though the Offering ceremony was the last thing he had ever expected Min to bring up at that point, she carried on. "Demon scared the shit out of me yesterday, Rand. That creepy, emotionless voice he used to warn us not to push too far into the Abyss really daunted me. I really want to be able to control my visions, but at what cost? I'll be seriously pissed if I go insane before you let loose on me again, like you did earlier in the shower, at least a few dozen more times. Between what Daemon said, and what Karla told us, I think that we have no defense against this 'Darkness', other than my instinctive barriers and your freaky super-Shield."

Rand had sat up and crossed his legs, placing himself right in front of Min on the bed by the time she had finished telling him her worries. He grabbed her left hand in his right and held it low on her lap as he started to speak. "Then we'll just have to teach you to Shield then, won't we?" He gave a bright smile and a shrug. "I honestly don't think Jaenelle would let you do anything wildly dangerous. If she says that you should be able to attain a Rose strength Jewel, well, I would venture to guess that might likely be the lowest, or the least powerful rank for you to end up. You know Healers, in every world they will tell you to be careful, or to wait until a certain time before becoming useful again when you stub a toe. They're a bunch of over-reactive Mother-Hens, if you ask me." He had been hoping to alleviate the stress lurking beneath Min's indomitably cheery front, and was encouraged when the small furrows of worry on her brow flattened out and she cracked a smile again at his barnyard analogy.

"Do you think you can teach me, really? Even if I can't use saidar?" Min asked eagerly, all verve and energy again.

"Let me think," Rand began, pondering how to explain or teach something he didn't really understand himself. "When I was in the Abyss with Witch, right after she revealed herself she asked if she could test me, she told me to let her know when I became uncomfortable. Well, I was already just a little uncomfortable with a naked unicorn-cat-_woman_ in front of me, so I brazened it out. She explained, after a long lecture about the history here in Kaleer, where exactly we were and that she had been allowing more and more dark Power to wash over me during her speech. Mind you, Witch _chose_ to explain that when she had already poured enough energy against my Shield to melt the mind of just about anybody in our world."

Rand saw that Min was slightly taken aback, her grin faltering, so he continued quickly, chuckling as he did. "Her monologue was so absorbing that I actually forgot about the Power trying to crush me for a while. My Shield was more than strong enough to withstand the pressures, I certainly felt it pushing on me, but I could have endured much greater stresses. I have to assume Power, and Shielding, works the same way for energy going in or going out. It appears as if my barrier is superior in some ways to those of the Blood, and obviously needs work in others. Jaenelle and I held an astronomical amount of Power together on the grounds yesterday when we first linked mind-to-mind, but neither of us was seriously in danger of being overcome." He thought back on the captivating female mind he had been intimately conjoined with, how much he had learned in a short time, the blase attitude of the woman once she got over the initial shock of their combined might, and the dexterously shut mental doors in her psyche before they had released the link.

Min spoke up quickly, ready and willing to learn as much as possible before her ceremony that night. "Then let's get crackin'."

The two lovers sat on their bed, legs crossed and eyes closed. Min's left hand had already been holding Rand's right, but she reached out and gathered the stump of Rand's left forearm from his lap into her other hand. They remained there, knee to knee and hand to hand for a very long time.

As Jaenelle had noticed earlier, Min and Rand both may have been strangers to this world, but they were certainly no simpletons. The mind-to-mind link taught to them by Jaenelle had already undergone a rapid and ingenious reconstruction thanks to the combined might of the intelligent duo. They were soon able to share everything, from the singularly indelible impact the taste of fresh strawberries had made on olfactory senses during the first bite taken in each of their youths, to the uniquely complicated perspectives of both on their aberrant romantic entanglements recently. They met together, soul to soul, within Rand's head, and he quickly did his best to show Min how he Shielded. Consequentially, Min witnessed with graphic detail how, and more importantly why Rand had created these barriers.

When they dropped the link, it was not because they had finished sharing. They had consensually resolved to spend copious amounts of time linked together in the near future, and were having a very pleasant time sharing experiences and conceptualizations when there was a knocking on their door. A footman named Holt had come to inform them that Jaenelle was ready to receive Min whenever Min pleased, and that Jaenelle could be found in the sitting room next to the dining room they had frequented. He also mentioned that Saetan had gone down to his study with word that Rand was to join him whenever it was convenient to do so. Upon looking out the windows for the first time in quite some time they discovered that several hours had passed while they learned and shared each other.

Holt gallantly offered to lead Min to her meeting, and then send someone back up to show Rand to Saetan's study. Rand overrode the suggestion quickly, standing up from the bed and walking over to where Min stood beside the open door.

"Why don't we head on down together? We'll escort the young Lady to the sitting room for her chat with Jaenelle, and then you can just point me the way to Saetan's study." Rand was thinking that he and Min were both adequately clothed for their meetings. Min _had_ told him she intended to wear the robe all day. Min stood holding the door in contemplation for a moment before shrugging and taking Rand's arm in hers, indicating clearly to Holt that they were ready to depart, and that he should lead the way.


	16. Chapter 16 Letting off Steam

**Chapter 16** - Letting off Steam

While Rand and Min checked out their new digs, Surreal and the two wolves trotted out the back door and over onto the training ground. The half-Hayllian, half-Dea al Mon woman stormed over to the weapons racks and began to pick up a set of one-handed training staves that were her favorite for really kicking ass when she got angry. Before she turned toward the wolves to see who wanted to work off a little aggression with a game of 'stalk and pounce', she sighed heavily and threw the wooden weapons down.

She was _not_ going to let something like this bother her. She had lived for hundreds of years, had killed dozens of people, had literally been bathed in the blood of her kills as she slashed the life from others. Surreal had sent _far_ more people back to the Darkness than most of her so-called relatives knew. She had been a strong and independent Gray Jeweled Blood witch, an assassin, proud and solitary. There was no reason for a little emotional trial like this to irk Surreal SaDiablo.

She tried hopelessly to deflect it, but she couldn't shake an image from her mind. Surreal couldn't stop herself from recalling the simple joy that she had felt begin to thaw her cold insides when Mammy Teele had taken her to her breast and declared her 'family', only a few years before. She had told the matriarch about her past, growing up as the daughter of a broken and displaced Black Widow Dea al Mon , and about becoming a whore and an assassin. The old woman had cried, and then she had laughed, and showing more support and compassion than Surreal had ever received from anybody, Mammy Teele had enfolded her into her arms, and into the Clan.

Surreal had known, long before she found out that she was one of them, that the words Dea al Mon were synonymous in all three Realms with furtiveness and ferocity. She had never known who her mother's people were and had stayed well away from her perverted, miscreant Hayllian father's friends and family as well. Surreal had been somewhat covert about her past with a few around SaDiablo Hall, only completely confiding in Daemon, Saetan, Jaenelle and Lucivar. She had figured that most of the servants and people who work to run the Hall didn't really need to know that a high-priced assassin/courtesan was now Daemon's assistant, or secretary, of sorts. She had, however, been completely open and honest with any Dea al Mon who spoke to her. They had apparently _not_ been candid or forthright in response to her baring of heart and soul.

*Well boys,* Surreal began as she turned back to the two huge wolves, *I'm feeling a little peaky right now, and I don't think fighting each other is a good idea.* She thought of the short run she and Jaenelle had dragged Min on that morning and stated simply, *I don't know how your run went this morning Clarity, but Min's endurance is abominable. I'm going for a rip through the woods to work off some steam, wanna come?*

Surreal didn't wait to receive a response, she just glided into a ground-eating trot that she could sustain for hours, heading into the trees. Both Kindred wolves loped behind the slender and incredibly fit witch as she flew through the forest on a slim path. Thoughts of exclusion and dejection powered Surreal's legs as they bolted through the thick woods. She couldn't help thinking that the perfect Children of the Wood must have unanimously agreed to string her along, regarding her as a pitiful, misbegotten and baseborn mongrel, just for a laugh.

Surreal had ran the routes around the Hall so many times that the position of virtually every rock and tree was imprinted on her brain, so she sped up considerably, hoping that dodging the incoming trees and bushes might push her worries away temporarily. The freedom and exhilaration of racing through the beautiful wood slowly eased the knot of angst and fury twisting her innards. Surreal breathed the gloriously fresh air in through her nose and lowered her head, now sprinting through the tightly packed trees.

Clarity and Smoke coursed through the underbrush on Surreal's flanks. Smoke had been friends with Jaenelle and Surreal for years, but still he often found that human females baffled him. He found that his own mate Selune often managed to bewilder him, but it happened especially frequently with human women. Smoke had been doing his best to explain humans, and how to successfully interact with them to Clarity. He and the much larger wolf had grown close in the last year, it no longer bothered Smoke that he was only a Purple-Dusk Prince, and that the more powerful and younger foreign wolf could easily tear him apart, or secure Smoke's coveted place in the pack if he chose to do so.

There had been some very tense moments when Clarity had first shown up in the north woods over a year ago. There was one older Warlord Prince, Hopper, in Smoke's small pack, but he wore only a Green Jewel. Clarity had arrived from the winds as a Warlord Prince bearing a Birthright Sapphire Jewel, and it was clear within moments that he _could_ become the alpha male. As Blood wolves are very loyal and protective, Clarity knew innately that it would be a hard-fought battle if he wanted to rule as the leading male. All of the wolves apparently respected Smoke deeply, and Clarity had identified their Queen as the happy mate of the relatively weak Prince Smoke. Clarity had not gone adventuring to acquire a pack of his own, at that point at least, as he still had not undergone his Offering ceremony. He had respectfully petitioned the pack, but mostly their Queen, Selune, to allow him to run with them, and learn from them.

Clarity had been born into a very small pack of Blood wolves in Pandar. The wolves kept to themselves, rarely having contact with other Blood. The Satyr Queen of Pandar, Zylona, and her consort Jonah both knew that the pack ranged the length and breadth of their territory. The Satyr's left them to their own devices, as there had been no Queens, and no Warlord Princes or Black Widows born into the slowly diminishing group of Kindred for hundreds of years before Clarity was birthed. His litter-mates, two brothers and a single sister, were all stereo-typical Pandaran Blood wolves; they had black and white fur, were less than half the size Clarity had been when he left them shortly after his Birthright ritual, and all wore very light Jewels from their Birthright ceremonies. Clarity had quickly grown to be much larger than his sire, he wore a dark Jewel, and he was the first Warlord Prince wolf seen in that territory in a long time. His loving family suggested he go see Queen Zylona, and learn what must have been forgotten in the pack during the long centuries away from other Blood.

That first trip to present himself to Zylona and Jonah was shockingly edifying. The wolves in Clarity's pack had withdrawn so far from Blood society that they had forgotten, or completely discarded, most of the customs and proprieties among the Blood. Clarity had quickly been informed that his methods of communication and interaction with the members of Queen Zylona's court were barely above the level of a wild beast. He had scarcely avoided being destroyed by Jonah's Satyr and Centaur friends, not knowing how to act around these powerful but attractive and interesting creatures. It had taken quite some time before he became comfortable there. Clarity had been known as dark-rainclouds-in-fall, a shortened version of the wolf-name given to him by his dam, until a Black Widow friend of Zylona's had woven a Tangled-web about the young wolf. All the Satyr witch was able to relate to the wolf about her vision however was a name, his name, Clarity. Jonah and Zylona both had taken considerable time from their own schedules to school young Clarity on Protocol and Blood history. The mated Satyr couple who were expecting a baby had been the instigators behind Clarity traveling on the winds to Dhemlan. They had taught him how to ride the winds and sent him off to inquire if Smoke's pack would help him finish his training, before he made his Offering.

Clarity was as happy as a wolf could be as he, Smoke and Surreal romped through the forest. Zylona's idea had set him on the path to making friends with Jaenelle, and Smoke, and he had learned a great amount in the last year from his adoptive pack. He now had the social skills and the adult Power to do as he wished, but all that faded in comparison to knowing he had found _her._ Now that he knew Rand was her mate by choice, Clarity was overcome by the elation he felt inside, now that he had found a witch to devote himself to.

From the first whiff of her gloriously innocent and sweet scent, Clarity had known that Min was _his_ Queen. It didn't matter in the least that she was no Queen, or that she didn't even wear Jewels, or that she was _human_. The instant that a sleeping Min's scent had registered in the wolf's brain, Clarity's inert instincts livened into an incredibly forceful and roused state. He would kill _anything_ that attempted to hurt Min, from that moment on. He had been very disturbed earlier that day by Rand's psychic emissions, unsure if Min was going along or fighting, but Surreal had explained and then Jaenelle taught Rand to Shield, so everything was just perfect. Rand could be her mate, but Clarity would be the next in line as an Ebon-gray Warlord Prince in her pack, or her retinue. (Clarity was proud of the neat word he had learned to describe these human groups)

Surreal and Clarity left the smaller and older wolf behind as they raced. They ran through the forest at an incredibly fast speed, dodging trees and leaping dead-falls side by side. Clarity had never run this fast in the trees before. Surreal was swerving through the woods so fast that Clarity found he couldn't quite keep up. His wide shoulders and long strides hindered him within the confines of the tall, tightly spaced trees, where Surreal ghosted like a being made of mist, easily stuttering steps when the trees got tight and then lengthening her gliding stride to a blistering sprint whenever possible.

Surreal had gradually directed their wild and headlong chase on an arcing path towards the edge of the forest. She had noticed Clarity falling behind in the tighter areas, and wondered what speeds the huge wolf could reach in an all-out dash. She yelled a challenge out as she burst onto the field and morphed the last bit of anger she had felt that morning into a rushing onslaught of velocity, rocketing herself across the flat green expanse. Clarity merely huffed and drove his paws into the soft earth with the massive muscles of his chest and back, lowering his broad head and using the full extent of his musculature to speed himself forward for the first time that day.

Surreal was moving amazingly fast for a human, but Clarity flew by her easily within a dozen of his long and powerful strides. Clarity could not keep-up that intense pace for long, only twenty minutes or so, but it was more than sufficient to show Surreal that he was considerably faster than she could ever hope to be on foot. Surreal was laughing and panting as Clarity turned back and trotted over to her.

"Thanks buddy, I needed that." Surreal gasped aloud to Clarity after she had braced herself, leaning over with hands on knees for a few moments before rising. They had ran a_ long_ way from the Hall during their race. Surreal realized how hot and incredibly sweaty she felt as she stood up straight, standing there in the warm afternoon sun, flapping the hem of her shirt for ventilation. She suggested they jog back to the Hall and go their separate ways, so she could shower and Clarity could do wolfie-things. Clarity's simple response was to move into his habitual place at Surreal's side as they started across the sun-drenched field and back into the cool, familiar woods, moving synchronously onto the paths. They had ran the marked routes together many times before, if not at such ludicrous speeds as they had attained in their last race. They both loped at an easy pace as Surreal cooled down, companionably enjoying each other's silent company as they took a circuitous route back to the Hall.


	17. Chapter 17 GirlTalk

**Chapter 17** - Girl-Talk

Rand and Holt escorted Min down the four flights of stairs and through the many corridors of the Hall to the sitting room in which Jaenelle awaited. When they arrived they approached Jaenelle, who was sitting on a long red couch and speaking to someone sitting on the back of the seat beside her. Rand and Min both stopped abruptly when they got to within a dozen feet of the two, shaking their heads slightly to ensure that what they were seeing was real.

Beside Jaenelle, perched on the backrest of the large couch, was a tiny woman with large prismatically hued wings beating softly and slowly behind her. She had the same shape and character of face as Min, lively gray and brown eyes gleaming energetically from a very pretty and spirited countenance. Her long dark hair was incredibly luxurious and was braided with wonderfully bright strips of fabric matching the styling accents of her intricately and distinctively fashioned dress. Her red hair was not outlandishly long, if one didn't mark the size of the woman herself, but it was impossible to miss that the woman would only be about eight or nine inches tall standing upright. Her gloriously abundant locks cascaded down from her head and onto the couch-back, hanging silkily off either side. Min thought that the weight of the hair itself probably matched that of the diminutive sprite.

Jaenelle and her guest had halted their conversation as they approached, and after a moment of letting Rand and Min absorb the sight of her newly-arrived guest, Jaenelle began introductions. She remained sitting on the seat, turned half-way between Min and the Pixie on the couch-back, "Min Farshaw, Rand al'Thor, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Katrine, a Queen of Philan. She is currently the District Queen of the Pixie settlements in the small territory of Philan in the Paw Islands. She has come to visit for a few days at the Hall."

Greetings were exchanged for a few moments, and then Rand accepted Holt's polite offer to lead him to Saetan's study. The two males made a respectful exit, and left the three very different witches alone. Jaenelle was pleased, it had been quite some time since she had seen Katrine, as Jaenelle had been busy and she knew Katrine had recently been expecting a child. Her happiness was muted drastically, however, by the sad news Katrine had come bearing.

"Well, now that Min's here," Jaenelle began when the men had left the room, "Lets head up to my office, it's a bit more comfortable." Min noticed the slightly worried cast to Jaenelle's features, but she just shrugged and followed the fluttering sprite and Jaenelle back through the corridors, up a set of stairs and into Jaenelle's study.

Every wall in the office was covered by a thin, yet darkly lush blue fabric that made a dramatic first impression upon entering. All of the wall-space not occupied by artistically adorned and engraved black wood was swathed with sumptuously deep blue stretches of material whose dark hue bordered on purple. The adumbral study walls drank the whitish glow from the balls of Craft-fire, making the room a haven for shadows and Darkness. The ceiling, ten or more feet above the floor, and the floor surrounding two large armchairs facing a massive black-wood desk, had crossing beams of dim light streaking through the heavily shaded areas. That illumination failed entirely to lift the dark, Cimmerian atmosphere.

Jaenelle moved behind her desk and up to a closed cabinet on one wall as Min followed Katrine into the room and chose a seat. Katrine flitted over to the edge of Jaenelle's desk and alighted softly on the edge of the large, flat surface. By the time Min had settled herself and her thick, bulky bathrobe into the large chair, Jaenelle had found what she had been looking for and brought a miniature version of the armchair Min was sitting on, engravings and all, over to the desk and placed it beside Katrine. The Pixie turned the seat slightly and dragged it closer to the edge of the desk as she sat, facing the two armchairs equally from a few feet away.

The miniature woman's face had lost the congenial glow that had radiated pleasantly from her delicate features during introductions. Her tiny brow was furrowed, and she looked as though she was about to burst into tears at any second. Jaenelle moved the other heavy armchair from beside Min over to the edge of the desk with Craft, placing it so that she was closer to the Pixie as she began to speak, "I'm so sorry Katrine." She seated herself in the chair and raised her left hand so it hung in the air before the sprite. "If there's anything we can do..."

Katrine wailed in distress and leapt up to grab two of Jaenelle's fingers in a tight embrace. Jaenelle eased the sobbing Pixie back down into the miniature chair and they just sat there for several moments, Katrine clutching Jaenelle's digits to her tiny frame as she cried hysterically. Slowly the little woman's sobs eased, and Jaenelle turned to explain to Min how Katrine had miscarried in the delivery of her first child over a month ago. The softly crying Pixie held onto Jaenelle's fingers as Min was told that Queue, Katrine's consort, had gone into a cold rage and destroyed a fair amount of priceless Pixie-fashioned artwork and statuary when told about his first-born's death. She related how he had remained distant and cold to Katrine when she had recovered physically, showing no support and offering no emotional succour. Katrine was at the Hall to visit Jaenelle specifically, as her best non-Pixie friend, but also to get away from her ex-consort Queue.

Jaenelle turned back to Katrine and said softly, "As I was about to say when Rand and Min arrived, you are the presiding Queen, why didn't you kick his worthless butt out?" This only served to raise another bout of tears from the very upset sprite. "Didn't your mother do anything? I can't imagine Queen Chrystine ever putting up with Prince Queue acting like that." Those were the last words spoken for a time.

Katrine slowly mastered her tears and released Jaenelle's fingers before wiping her eyes. She explained that she had forbidden her mother from banishing Queue, as she had hoped to bring him around herself. He had been civil but cool to everybody, and except for his initial wildly violent outburst, he had acted fairly normally. Katrine informed Min that Queue had not been her consort for long, and that it had been a whirlwind-romance culminating in his elevation to consort status upon finding out that Katrine had become pregnant. Queue was known among the Pixies as a hot-head, and a bit of an outcast. The members of Katrine's court had all been quite surprised and a little worried by the seemingly effortless way the rogue Warlord Prince Queue had stolen their sweet young Queen's heart.

"He was so much fun. So handsome, and caring and _intense_. And he was so _amazing_ in bed. The whole world faded from my peripheral view when I was with him," The little witch told both women. "He had surprised me a few times with small lashes of psychic anger and spells of sullenness... but I saw a whole new side of him after we lost Luceiia," she dissolved into small sobs again. "A couple of the Warlords in my court wanted to hurt him, but he never did anything to me physically... And I didn't want to send him away so I forbade it, when I got wind of it." Katrine continued now in her normal high and chiming voice, "Mother has been kicking about the court for long enough. I've had my fun and know I don't want to rule, for now at least." The Pixie then proceeded to answer all of the questions that had popped into Min's head since they had reached the office.

Katrine's mother was also a Queen. There were so few of the Pixies in Philan, or anywhere in Kaleer, that Queen Chrystine occasionally abdicated her position in favour of someone else. Knowing that she likely had several thousand years of life yet to live, Katrine's mother had stepped down from her position as District Queen for at least a decade when each of her previous two Queen daughters had matured and showed an interest in ruling. Katrine had only been ruling for three years, but it had been clear to all that she was not as well suited to ruling the Pixie community as Chrystine.

Queen Chrystine had an incredibly powerful personality, and was the most accomplished Black Widow Pixie alive. The sheer ferocity of her mother's tongue had cowed many creatures, human and Kindred alike, Katrine laughingly informed Min. Every time she had temporarily abjured her Queenly status, Chrystine's communities had devolved into a state of amusingly modest anarchy under the direction of her soft-hearted daughters. It had quickly become clear that the Sapphire Jeweled Chrystine's progeny lacked her specific flair for administration and rule. Katrine and her older sisters were all light Jeweled witches, and they all had the same cheery, trusting and honest personalities.

The Pixies were by and large a peaceful group, but they had found over the millennia that having an aggressive and powerful Queen was much to their advantage, as there were many creatures and people who would attempt to take advantage of them because of their diminutive stature. Chrystine had the Jewel Power and the strength of will to dominate competently, efficiently and virtuously, and had earned the love of the vast majority of the Pixie population in the nearly thousand years of her reign.

Katrine told Jaenelle and Min that she had returned the throne to her mother's care, having decided on going to visit Jaenelle and then do some traveling. Having had a good purging cry while clutching Jaenelle's fingers, Katrine was able to graciously accept Min and her best-friend's consolations, and demur when Jaenelle suggested she send Daemon or Lucivar to Philan to have a chat with Queue. Katrine laughed gayly at the thought of Lucivar railing at tiny Queue, but she made it clear that although she was certainly sad, she was not crushed by the bitter turn of fate. She was still an Opal Jeweled Pixie Queen, and she would recover in due time with the help of good friends.

Katrine then asked Min questions about her life and how she came to be in Kaleer. Min did her best to relate what had happened to her and Rand in the few minutes before Traveling to Kaleer, and then what had transpired over the last three days there in the Realms. She then related a few of the times her younger lover Rand had terrified, abandoned, or almost strangled the life out of her.

Both of her listeners sat in rapt attention as she told how Rand had sent her off into the basements of the Cairhienin Sun Palace with the brain-Tainted boy-Asha'man Fedwin Morr, while Rand went on a murderous rampage through the structure on his own. Jaenelle and Katrine sat entranced, with mouths open in shocked awe while Min explained in graphic detail how it had felt to have Rand wrack her entire body with excruciating magical agony, and then have her lover's single hand wrap around her neck with the unmistakable intention of ending her life. With a faraway voice Min explained how the vicious Forsaken harridan Semirhage had placed a Domination Band on Rand's neck and forced him to torture Min, and how she had been moments away from suffocation when he went cold and seized the True Power to break the Band, kill their tormentor and release Min. She brightened up markedly as she then told the two women how she had refused to be shut completely out of Rand's life while he was cold, and how he had slowly, gradually, come around to the fact that he actually _would_ have to kill her to get rid of her.

Jaenelle laughed aloud at Min's headstrong temerity in matters of love, and her mercurial and yet astutely discerning ability to alter her attitude and air on a whim. She admired the young but extremely durable and capable woman, thinking again that it was a pity Min hadn't been born in Kaleer. She was very pleased with the way the conversation had progressed, as Jaenelle had intended to push Min toward discussing Rand. She needed to know if and how Min was able to deal with Rand when angry, especially when he goes cold. He would be an enormously powerful man if he survived his Offering, and Jaenelle needed some assurances that Min knew what Rand was able, and apt, to do when he went cold.

It appeared as though Min already had a fair amount of experience in that regard, so Jaenelle brought the conversation around to the issue of the two other women with substantial roles in Rand's life. Min calmly and only slightly blushingly told Jaenelle and Katrine about Aviendah and Elayne, and the complicated relationship the four shared. Min said that she was not exactly happy about sharing Rand, but that she had gotten to know the magic-using Aiel warrior Aviendah, and the almost-Aes Sedai twin-bearing Queen of Andor Elayne well. The women had all agreed to share Rand, as each had a drastically varying outlook on life, and very different spheres of interest and influence, excepting Rand. Rand had not married any of them yet, but they had all shared equally in a Bonding with the One Power - creating a permanent link somewhat like a weak psychic connection. When Katrine asked, causing Min to blush fiercely, she informed the two other women that, _no_, arrangements like theirs were not common in Min's world. All three witches had a good laugh at that, and the topic turned to the ceremony Min was to undergo that night.

Min expressed the same worries to Jaenelle that she had to Rand earlier, skipping only the cold shiver of fear that Jaenelle's husband's explanations had blown down her spine. She was informed that the descent within her own mind would not bring her into contact with the Twisted Kingdom, so long as she heeded the increasing sensation of Power, and stopped delving deeper immediately when she became uncomfortable, or frightened. Jaenelle and Katrine explained the weaving of a web in the Abyss, and how one was able to shelter from the darker Power below their web once the structure was completely woven. Jaenelle went on to clarify to Min that the two webs, woven in the Birthright and then the Offering ceremonies, act as safety-nets; protecting one's core from the darker Power below and providing a secure haven from most disturbances within all Jewel ranks.

Because Min and Rand had no Birthright webs or Jewels, they would have to weave two webs in the single Offering ceremony. The weaving of a web and charging of a Jewel usually took from sundown to sunup, so they would have to work quickly to finish two webs and absorb as much Power as possible. Jaenelle advised that they should descend as far as they feel they are able and weave a web there. From there they should rest awhile and then ascend two or three Jewel ranks, within their core from the deeper web, and weave another web there. She explained how the Blood can only transverse three levels of Jewel Power from Birthright to Offering, and if Min did this, she would have the same level of protection as any Blood creature after completing her Offering ceremony.

Min's worries were assuaged by Jaenelle's confidently delivered explanations and beneficent instructions, and she found herself entirely enchanted by tiny Katrine, so the conversation flowed merrily from topic to topic between the three witches for quite some time. Jaenelle's pressing questions regarding Min's age and awareness of Rand's propensity for maniacally brutal outbursts of violence and Power had been answered to her satisfaction. Many had wondered around the Hall, because of the little witch's exuberance and small but womanly body, just how old Min was. Rand was obviously in his early twenties, but Min could have been anywhere from sixteen to thirty. Her happy and energetic ways had captivated many, and the news that she was firmly attached to Rand of her own choice and was slightly older than him would alleviate any remaining tensions.

The girl-talk lasted for well over an hour before Jaenelle mentioned the likely time. There was no way to tell time in the study, one could spend days in the darkly luxurious room, but Jaenelle knew that Min had had quite a bit of excitement that day already, and they would have to prepare for the Offering rites in just over an hour. She suggested that Min head back to her rooms to rest, as the Offering would require a lot of physical and psychic energy that night. Min thanked Jaenelle and expressed her fervent wishes to see Katrine again soon before leaving the two women in the study.

Within a dozen paces from the door of Jaenelle's study, a tall and sharply dressed servant rounded a corner and stopped abruptly when he noticed Min ambling along the corridor, alone in her black bathrobe. Min eagerly accepted the charming man's offer to escort her to her chambers, and inquired if it was possible to have a couple of meals sent-up from the kitchens. She was delighted when the man offered her an elbow chivalrously and, after a moment of psychic communication with the cooking staff, proceeded to give her a concise verbal listing of four different meals available upon request, as well as the names of several very fine wines to go with said meals. She learned that the man's name was Jazen and that he was Daemon's valet while he guided her back to the visitors wing. When they arrived at her chambers he assured Min that she need only wait for twenty minutes or so in her suite, as he had relayed the dinner and wine choices made by Min during their discussion to Mrs. Beale already. The house-staff would ensure that the meal came to Min promptly, and anything else she should need was only a psychic call away. She beamed a smile at him on the threshold of her sitting chamber and pulled him down to plant a kiss on his cheek, leaving him to shake his head in fondness as she bounced through the sitting-room and grinned back at him once with flashing eyes before disappearing into the regency suite.


	18. Chapter 18 Sympathy from Saetan

**Chapter 18** - Sympathy from Saetan

Rand was guided to a heavy black portal in a dully lighted, lower level of the Hall and informed that they had arrived at Saetan's study. He thanked Holt for the guidance and pushed his way into the large L-shaped office. There were bookshelves on one wall and a bureau on the other as Rand entered the room. He moved past the bookshelves and turned slightly when the room opened up on his right side, almost directly in front of Rand were two large armchairs that faced a monstrous piece of black cabinetwork acting as a desk.

There was nobody in the room but Saetan, and he was sitting behind the desk looking very comfortable in a deep black leather chair from which he addressed Rand, in his smooth and calm, mellifluous voice, "Welcome to my study, Rand. This is where I go to get away from the madness and excitement that seems to cling always to Jaenelle's coat-tails. My attempts to separate myself from the family hardly ever work though," the dignified older man smiled ruefully as he rose from his seat, gesturing for Rand to take an armchair, "everyone just barges in when they feel there is something to discuss. Don't be too surprised if we are interrupted while we chat. Would you like a glass of yarbarah?" Saetan could see that Rand had not been introduced to the blood-wine, so he explained its origins and uses as he went over to a side-table and poured and warmed a glass for each of them.

As the young man tried the blood-wine, Saetan studied him closely. The urbane and refined patriarch began the interview, attempting to diffuse any tensions still lingering from the morning, "I'll have you know that when Daemon was first courting Jaenelle, they caused everyone to abandon the Hall more than once before we found a way to bring the necessity of a special Shield to Daemon's attention." Saetan saw instantly that Rand had gotten over any hard feelings the chat earlier may have fomented. The man laughed happily and merely shook his red-haired head regretfully in amusement. Saetan decided to see if he could utilize this young man's cheer to inveigle some answers to possibly touchy questions recently arisen in his mind.

Saetan mentioned casually that Rand would have to be careful to keep himself leashed once he had three women clamoring for his affections again, as he settled himself behind his huge desk. This only elicited another hearty laugh from Rand before he controlled himself and began to reveal some of the complicated, and sometimes outright bizarre circumstances that had led to him being completely in love with three women, totally unable and unwilling to choose between them. He waxed rhapsodical about the breath-stealing beauty and strength of Elayne, then he spoke glowingly of the fiery passions and endearingly violent tendencies of Aviendah. He then told Saetan of how Min had stood by his side, or clung to his side with the inexorable tenacity and mule-headed obstinacy that truly marked a young woman in love. Min had grappled with all of the iron-willed resolve of a confident woman older than him, one that Rand had never hoped to possess until she had unmistakably informed him that _he_ was _hers_, and not the other way around.

Saetan watched and listened closely to the straightforward words from the perspicacious and erudite young man. It was made abundantly clear that Rand absolutely doted on the three women. The blatant disbelief and skepticism expressed by Rand that all three women could love him, after his lengthy and enraptured recital of their charms, was manifestly genuine. The youth's unsure-but-game philosophy and demeanor caused Saetan to laugh out loud at the likely results of this unorthodox grouping. He decided that Rand indubitably did not need his advice in the matter of finding love, so Saetan expressed his sincere sympathies to the young man who had three capable and willful women in his life, before asking Rand how he was able to deal with his anger around the women.

Once again the young fellow answered forthrightly, spinning fascinating stories worthy of immortalization in popular literature with masterful strokes of verbal brush and evocative and theatrical movements with his entire body. Using an impressive range of voice and expression, Rand spun a vivid tapestry of his recent life-tale. Saetan learned in the next enthralling hour that Rand was most definitely a Warlord Prince, and that he rigidly abided by his _own_ set of Protocols; codes deeply-set within his being by the man named Tam al'Thor, not a biological father, but the galvanizing force that had shaped and influenced Rand's ethos from his youngest years.

The way Rand spoke of Tam painted a luminous portrait of the seemingly normal, stolid farmer in Saetan's head. Rand went on at length, at Saetan's gentle prodding, telling of the decent and stable, yet sharp and intelligent man he regarded as a father. Tam al'Thor was quite a character, a man that Saetan thought he would very much like to meet, the very salt of the earth, honest and blunt, but with deep currents of trustworthy honour and sincerity in his soul. The moral values and adamantine code of existence that had been imprinted on Rand by Tam when he was a young child were likely the only reason his world had a chance in the upcoming war against the Dark One. They were the only reason that the shattering trials that Rand had endured, and the savage pain and loss he had accustomed himself to bearing hadn't broken Rand and eradicated his will to live or severed him permanently from sanity.

Saetan was enormously entertained and pleased with Rand's forward and open speech, it had answered many queries and made the Guardian wonder and then ask outright if Rand had received training as an orator, or a show-man of sorts. The young stranger smiled again and told of fine friends that had taught him certain things and how it had been impossible to not develop a flair for the dramatic when often in the company of Thom Merrilin and Mat Cauthon. Saetan was glad that Rand had good friends and strong women, people to care for him and for him to protect. Those were the most important thing for a Warlord Prince to find in order to live a productive and satisfactory life. Rand had a terrible war to fight on behalf of his entire world, but had admittedly come to realize, only in the last weeks, that the only way to succeed was to fight_ for_ something, not merely battle mindlessly against the enemy. Passion and love were the fulcrum from which he would strike, and with the support and assistance of his friends and lovers Rand knew he stood a chance.

Saetan then maneuvered the conversation around to the unique Craft ability Rand had demonstrated the day before. Saetan wished that Gabrielle had told him and Jaenelle about 'dipping a toe' before that morning, so they could have mentioned the skill to Draca. Saetan and Jaenelle had taken a short trip to Ebon Askavi after their conversation in his study the afternoon before, informing Draca of their guests' arrival and asking the advice of the Keep's ancient and wise seneschal. The antediluvian dragon-woman had been immediately aware of the ripples of Power sent through the Darkness when the strangers had alighted in Kaleer so dramatically, and then when Jaenelle and Rand had first linked, but she had remained ensconced at the Keep, easily trusting Jaenelle and Saetan to bring their guests to Ebon Askavi in due time.

She had calmly and cooly listened to all that Saetan and Jaenelle had to relate about the strangers from another world before casually asking a few pointed questions. Draca had merely given both Jaenelle and Saetan a patient and indulgent look, almost bordering on distain, when Jaenelle had repeated her speculation that Rand would be the first King of the Darkness. Draca appeared to shuck off that notion with a minimum of concern, inquiring about only a few other small details before retiring to her suites. Draca's relaxed attitude and tranquil advice had eased the tension in Saetan and Jaenelle at the time, but that was before the young Dea al Mon Queen had changed their entire outlook on Craft with a seemingly simple admission.

Rand explained to Saetan that the way he accessed the One Power was the same technique used by all men who could channel in his world, and how many men had been driven irreversibly insane while learning to control the One Power. He did his best to describe the bizarre and addictive True Power as well. Lews Therin's memories told him that that Power source drew from the very essence of the Dark One himself, and he had been able to use it thanks to the inadvertent crossing of streams of balefire with Moridin, one of the Forsaken. This was a Power no one should be able to use without the Dark One's specific sanction, but somehow the unintentional crossing of the incredibly powerful castings from Rand and the Forsaken had instilled the ability to use the True Power in Rand.

Rand then detailed some of the problems he had encountered, mentally and socially, as a result of being the Dragon Reborn, and being one of the most powerful magic-using men ever born. They discussed the descent into madness, and the possible, but extraordinarily difficult return to sanity as Saetan related a few of his own escapades; walking deep and dark roads in the Twisted Kingdom, and being the first Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince in the Human Blood histories.

Their dialogue lasted for quite some time, both slightly awed and very interested in what the other was saying. No great leaps of understanding were made in regard to 'dipping a toe', but the interview served to familiarize the two powerful men and began to build a strong affinity between the Warlords. Saetan took the opportunity to describe the intense bond between Warlord Prince and Queen, or a Warlord and any woman he devotes himself to. Rand was happy to listen carefully, not wanting to cause any more tension, and curious how to deal with the monstrous wolf who had apparently attached himself to Min. Saetan told Rand that Min's introduction of Clarity the day before was interpreted by the wolf as a formal assent to his position as protector, and that Rand needed to talk to the wolf and to Min in order to delineate boundaries. As the first male to bond to Min, Rand had seniority, but because Clarity was a very large and powerful Warlord Prince they would have to find a way to work together in harmony. Saetan gave the young man a few pointers on how to get along with Clarity, as well as a short history of the Kindred animals and the young wolf himself.

Saetan then quickly sketched the basic steps to weaving webs in the Abyss, explaining simply that natural instincts would take over to protect and guide both Rand and Min. This alleviated Rand's minor concerns and brightened his demeanor, knowing that he had useful things to impart to Min before she had her ceremony. Before he sent Rand on his way, Saetan remembered to demonstrate and teach Rand the simple spell used to translate languages. Rand was thrilled by this revelation, as he had wondered how they all spoke his language in this strange world, and was excited when shown a slight variation on the spell that Saetan had used to allow Rand and Min to read the books in this Realm. Rand knew that Min would be very excited to know a spell to translate anything into a readable format, and was quite eager to show her.

Saetan then thanked Rand for visiting him that afternoon and sent the energetic young Warlord off to see if Jaenelle and Min had finished their girl-talk. Rand graciously thanked Saetan as well before leaving the study in search of Min, or better yet, Min and food.


	19. Chapter 19 Allies

**Chapter 19** - Allies

While leaving Saetan's study and climbing up to the main floor, it popped into Rand's mind that it was likely for Min and Jaenelle to take a little longer for their girl-talk than he and Saetan had taken. He decided that he would give them a few more minutes before going up to his suite or trying to contact Min psychically. With Saetan's explanation of the bond between males and females in this world in mind, Rand decided to tackle one possible problem he saw developing.

Keeping Saetan and Jaenelle's lessons in mind, he respectfully sent on a spear-thread, *Prince Clarity, this is Rand al'Thor. I'm on the main floor of the family wing, would you have time to meet with me for a short while?* Rand had only to wait for ten seconds before he received a positive reply along with directions to meet Clarity at the back doors leading to the training ground. Rand strolled through the Hall quickly, thinking of how to approach the newly realized problem, if it was a problem. Clarity was bounding out of the woods as Rand exited the doors and the two large Warlord Princes met on the lawn, half-way between the Hall and the weapons storage building.

Rand was much closer to seven feet tall than six, and was a well-muscled fifteen-stone, and yet he was wary of the immense wolf who approached. Rand had no desire to fight the animal, and didn't know if he could win if it came down to that. Clarity was the largest wolf Rand had ever seen; he had to be well over thirteen-stone and four-and-a-half feet tall at the shoulders. The wolf also wore an Ebon-gray Jewel, and was trained in it's use, while Rand had no Jewel to draw Power from. Utilizing the sage advice offered by Saetan, Rand politely and formally introduced himself again to the wolf and suggested they take a walk together. Clarity readily agreed and they chatted as they walked around the training field, telling each other about their pasts. They found quickly that their situations were really not that different, as Clarity and his pack had forgotten what it meant to be Blood, whereas Rand and Min were just learning.

Clarity described how he had lived before seeking out the Satyrs Zylona and Jonah, as a feral and wild wolf in a very small and insular pack, and some of the difficulties he had encountered while learning Blood ways. Rand related his own confusion and embarrassment from that morning, and apologized to Clarity for any tensions or worries he may have caused. Clarity gave a wolfie-chuckle and told Rand honestly that he had taken Smoke and ran up to Surreal's room to find assistance to kill Rand immediately, and how Surreal had calmed the wolves and explained that Min was a willing participant. Rand laughed as well, mentally making a note to thank Surreal, before explaining the magical Bond Min and Rand shared, and how he would chop off his own arm before hurting Min. He opened the link the two Warlords shared and poured some of his favorite memories into the wolf's head, images of Min standing up to him when he was being an idiot, and many more. Clarity calmly watched and absorbed these reminiscences, seeing how Rand had often been reactionary and erratic, and how Min's love had slowly altered Rand's perspectives and given him strength when he most needed it.

Clarity was happily impressed, as not many Warlords would be willing to share such private moments with another male. He could tell that Rand was a good man who needed Min, and from the memories he could tell that Min loved Rand, regardless of how much of an absolute moron the man could be at times. Clarity was completely satisfied, he thought he would be able to work with Rand to protect Min, and it looked as though Min was only one of the three females to whom Rand was Bonded. Clarity didn't understand how this young and sometimes imprudent and ridiculous man could have three mates, but Clarity interpreted it as a way for him to become more important to Min. With Rand distracted by his other bitches, Clarity would get to spend a considerable amount of time with the woman, hopefully becoming Min's constant companion.

The wolf let Rand know a little bit more about Blood proprieties, how linking with someone was habitually done within the first level of barriers unless specific permission is granted for a closer connection. The link used by Rand and Clarity during their exchange was much more intimate than that used by most people. Clarity informed Rand that he was willing to connect like that to Rand and Min, but that Rand must ask permission from others before widening a simple psychic link. They developed a few quick psychic signals to be used in case of emergency, and an easy and wordless way to inquire about location and meeting times as they wandered around the field. Rand noticed that the sun was low in the sky by this point and led them back toward the Hall.

Both males were pleased with the way things were working out, and Rand asked Clarity to join him going up to the new suite to explain to Min the concord they had reached. Rand was happy to give the wolf permission to sleep in Min's chambers if she agreed, so long as he was willing to give Rand and Min space when they needed it. He regarded the assistance of an incredibly powerful and fierce protector absolutely devoted to Min as a fabulous benefit - too often he had been forced from her side and into battle, leaving Min to hide or fend for herself. Clarity was ecstatic, as he had thought that Rand would attempt to relegate him to a mere escort position. The young wolf had anticipated sleeping as close to Min as he could get, likely outside on the balcony, and spending time with her whenever Rand wasn't around. To find out that Rand was willing to share her time and attention with another strong male, and seemed almost eager to do so amazed the wolf somewhat and definitely raised his opinions of the tall young man.

To Rand's complete and utter delight, he and the wolf arrived at the new suites in the visitors wing at the same time as the meals Min had sent for. Rand graciously held the doors to the ante-chamber open for the two Hall-staff who carried a silver platter each, one with a domed silver lid and the other with two bottles of wine complete with beautiful cut-crystal glasses. The servants placed the food and wine on two of the tables in the sitting-room while Rand moved to the double doors to summon Min to dinner.

He had to walk right into the bathroom before he heard the taps running, explaining why Min hadn't answered to his call. She stood in the bathroom, still wearing the black bathrobe while splashing hot water on her face. She finally heard him as he rounded the corner, but she just gave him a small smile and continued her ablutions. Rand informed her that dinner was ready when she was, and that Clarity would be joining them for dinner. Min gave a brilliant sun-beam grin when she learned that Clarity would join them and quickly dried her face before following Rand to the sitting-room.

They enjoyed a remarkably tasty meal while Rand and Clarity explained the agreement they had reached earlier to Min. A bowl of cool water was brought up for the wolf and he lounged on the floor while the humans ate. They asked Min if she had any problems with their agreement or any changes or additions she might suggest. Min thought about that for a minute and then answered that she thought their plan was great, as it was mostly the two males ability to get along that had been concerning her. She was quite fond of the idea of having a massive wolf protector around who happened to have a keen intelligence and Craft ability, on those occasions when she was parted from Rand. She mentioned her worry about the likelihood of Clarity finding a mate of his own while stuck to Min's side, and was quite surprised and deeply moved when Clarity made his feelings abundantly clear. He informed Min and Rand that Min was his Queen, the ideas of finding a mate of his own or a pack of his own would come second, _always_, to protecting and serving Min. If they ever found a way to go back to their own world, Clarity had absolutely _no intention_ of being left behind in Kaleer.

They discussed the possibilities and prospects of a return to the Westlands as they finished dinner, explaining some of the culture and customs of Min's world to the smart and curious wolf. Min insisted that if Clarity was adamant to stay by her side they would have to go to Pandar soon, in order for Min to meet his family and for him to say good-bye. Rand and Min, and now Clarity had a very important task to accomplish when they got back to their world and had no idea how long it may take, or if they would even be able to get back. Clarity gladly accepted her offer to return to Pandar with him for a short visit, as he hadn't been back himself since he first left the pack. He then assured Min, with a feral glint in his wild gray eyes, that he would follow her anywhere, anytime, and would bring terrible woe to _any_ creatures that came between her and her goals.

After a lovely meal and stimulating conversation Min and Rand retired to the Queen's suite to change before Min's ceremony. Clarity had offered to meet Min at the Dark Altar later and was pleased when she gladly accepted and told him to meet her and Rand there. The huge wolf trotted right through the doors to the corridor on his way down and out of the Hall to quickly hunt some dinner of his own, causing both young lovers to smirk and shake their heads, thinking of the reactions Clarity was bound to produce from people in their world.

As Min changed into comfortable and sensible clothing, Rand remembered Saetan's lessons and related to Min the existence of a translation spell. As he had anticipated, Min was very excited and wanted to go try it out right away. She had wondered how everyone spoke a similar language with only slightly differing accents, and how she and Rand had been able to read an ancient tome in a foreign world. The next bit of relayed advice from Saetan was only slightly helpful, as Jaenelle and Katrine's explanations of the Offering ceremony had certainly been more in-depth than the one Rand had received. Min was not nearly as worried about the ceremony as she had been that morning, so she quickly got her clothing ready and began preparing her mind.


	20. Chapter 20 The Offering to the Darkness

**Chapter 20** - The Offering to the Darkness

Minutes after finishing dressing and returning to the sitting-room, Min heard a light rapping coming from the corridor. She opened it to find Holt, informing them that Jaenelle would be ready in the parlor on the main floor of the family wing whenever Min and Rand could join her. Rand resettled the tall boots he had loosened before eating and swept up beside Min, grasping her arm and asking Holt to lead the way after receiving a nod from Min.

The family wing was the section of SaDiablo Hall closest to the Sanctuary. After meeting with many of the Halls occupants in a parlor they had crossed through many times, Rand and Min were led down a hall and out a set of exterior doors they had never passed through. From this exit, even moving at Saetan's dignified pace, the Dark Altar was only a ten minute walk away. It was a large group that walked from the Hall to the Sanctuary and Min was pleased that so many people had come to support her in her rite.

Lucivar and Marian had returned to the Hall bringing with them their young son Daemonar, an exuberant five-year old delighted to be able to stay with the elders past his bedtime. Katrine, the little iridescent-winged Pixie, sat comfortably on the shoulder of Gabrielle as they moved alongside Chaosti and they chatted amiably with Mr. and Mrs. Beale. Holt, Jazen, Helene and a few of the people from the training ground that morning followed behind with Kaelas, Clarity, Smoke and Selune the wolf-pack's Queen. Before they had reached the Sanctuary they were caught by a running Surreal, who apologized for being tardy. Min easily laughed off the apology while giving Surreal an open and honest smile before turning that appreciative and happy grin to the rest of the people and animals gathered outside of the Dark Altar.

Jaenelle and Saetan had explained to Min that the Birthright and Offering ceremonies are very important in the local culture, and that the people who come to see her into the ritual would all be there for her support. The majority of them would wait inside the Hall until her Offering was complete, but a small number would wait just outside of the small Sanctuary itself to greet her when she emerged. Min had already chosen who she figured she would want to see upon completion of her ritual and so she politely thanked everyone else for accompanying her that night and called the small group closer around.

She looked deeply into the eyes of everyone circled about her, taking heart from the unfeigned excitement on Jaenelle's lovely face and the cool confidence of the reassuring smile bestowed upon her by Saetan. Katrine merely hovered in the air beside Jaenelle, smiling and beaming good wishes to Min with her beautiful gray-brown eyes. Surreal merely nodded once with a small smirk, sanguine about Min's intelligence and competence. Clarity had absolute trust in Jaenelle's judgement and easily transferred that into unshakable belief in Min's ability, while Rand knew well the strength and determination Min possessed and found himself entirely convinced of the rightness of the coming ceremony. Rand and Min knew that this strange land had much to teach them, and this was a necessary step to the process. Min thanked everyone again and received a few last-minute instructions from Jaenelle before turning and entering the Sanctuary alone. As she left them, Saetan and Jaenelle both kindly intoned a ritualistic maxim, "May the Darkness embrace you, Min Farshaw."

Min entered the dark room and moved into the center of the floor. She thought of all the instructions given her and chose to stretch for a moment before seating herself in the middle of the room, cross-legged on the bare stone floor with her eyes closed. She revised the lessons Rand had taught her, and the Shielding technique Jaenelle had demonstrated as she settled herself and prepared her body for a long time spent in that position. After several moments of silent contemplation and preparation, the vivacious young woman erected and enhanced her barriers before turning her entire attention in.

A second after Min made the purposeful decision to move her consciousness into the dark Abyss of her mind, she perceived light. She was gliding through the Darkness, down and down, toward a faint white light far beneath her. She didn't know exactly how she could tell it was down she was moving, as there was no wind and nothing to use to orient herself, but it felt much like stroking deeper and further toward the bottom of a pond. The swimming here, however, was done all within the mind. Swirling currents of slightly darker Power drifted through the form of the Abyss itself, buffeting her lightly as she descended but not stopping or slowing her. The substance through which she dove was permeated with dark energy, a sea of Power she felt pushing on her barriers as she negotiated her way toward the weak light.

Min assessed the relative strength of her Shield as she descended and resolved to hurry up a little, having noticed that she was easily holding back the Power of the Darkness pressing on her barrier. Slowly she started to descend faster, and then even faster toward what she could now make out vaguely as a ring of white light around the cylinder she plummeted through. She compartmentalized her mind, easily setting a part of her psyche to monitoring her Shield while propelling herself downward with more and more force. She passed the White band while still accelerating and continued to power her plunge as she rocketed past a faint Yellow band a short time later.

Jaenelle had carefully explained the ordering of the Jewels and what she thought Min to be capable of and so Min stopped accelerating and merely continued to fly rapidly down through the Abyss as she approached and passed the Tiger Eye level. Min took an opportunity to do an intense mental perusal of her shields as she came to the Rose band, finding that she felt quite comfortable and could easily delve deeper. Once again the tenacious witch concentrated on acceleration while maintaining a sense of her shielding capability, flinging herself down into the seemingly infinite chasm of her mind.

She rocketed away from the Rose level and soon was past Summer-Sky and quickly approaching Purple Dusk. She rushed past the Band at Purple Dusk before halting her incredible speed and downward momentum with just a thought. There was something there, inside her own Abyss. Jaenelle had told Min that the Birthright and Offering ceremonies were _private _rituals that occurred solely in one's own mind. That might usually be the case, but as soon as Min departed the Purple Dusk level she _felt_ a presence.

From deep within the Abyss, far,_ far_ deeper than Min had delved, a roiling surge of Darkness rose and encircled Min. The apparition flowed from the depths smoothly and easily, gliding through the Darkness like an ink stain flowing of it's own accord, drifting over blackness that seemed gray in comparison to the light-consuming shade of the specter. Min had definitely never felt anything like that before, it was somewhat like the feeling of first entering the Sanctuary, the age and Power from the inert Dark Alter multiplied by a hundred-thousand. This living Power could turn her inside out and break her mind in a split-second, and for a moment Min panicked. Jaenelle had assured her that she would have warning if she was delving too deep and would have the opportunity to stop or turn back if the stress grew too great. She had mentioned nothing about a raging surge of insanely dark Power enclosing Min in it's grip, making her suddenly very aware of her relative fragility.

Min was frantically thinking of what to do when she felt the pressures on her Shield ease perceptibly. The inky blackness that had surrounded her had somehow blocked out some of the Darkness pushing against her barrier. She was confusedly wondering how and why when a sibilant female voice came from all around her, "Hello Witch-child, welcome to the Abyss."

Min couldn't help herself at that point, she panicked completely and attempted to ascend in the Abyss with all her might. Her distressed and frantic flailings of Power availed her nothing, however, as the monstrous presence around her merely chuckled and held her fast. The chuckles reverberated through the Darkness and served to somehow comfort Min as she thrashed madly. Min's struggles gradually desisted, and then her lashing out stopped abruptly and she relaxed into the embrace of death, or whatever it was that had snatched her up in it's clutches like a puny fire-fly in the maw of a Darkhound. She decided that she wasn't going to just float there and die or be driven mad without some answers, so she shouted at the blackness itself, "What the Hell do _you_ want? I'm busy trying to perform a ceremony here! And what in the bloody name of the_ Light_ are you doing in my head?"

The voice chuckled again and began, "My name is Draca, and I will not harm you, Witch-child. You and your mate have re-discovered a very dangerous ability, Child, and I am here to make sure you don't destroy yourself. The fragmentation of your psyche allows you to move much faster through the Abyss than any others of this era, but your inexperience and intemperance would have been your death if I hadn't stopped you. And here the prayers are made to the Darkness, not the Light, Sweet-one."

"I could distinctly feel the pressure on me," Min began, "and I know I can stand a lot more. So what's the problem? Jaenelle told me that I should go down until I become uncomfortable, was Witch wrong?" She asked in a slightly snarky tone.

"Heed my words little-imp," Draca retorted sharply, "I do not know all of what Jaenelle has told you, but rest assured that I know much more about the workings of Power than she does."

Min had to ask, lightening her tone to a questioning lilt, "But isn't she _Witch_? Isn't she supposed to be the Ultimate-Queen and all that? Grand-High Uber-Priestess of the Hourglass?" Min had been impressed by the titles held by the people in this world, but some of them seemed a bit ostentatious.

Draca chuckled warmly at the cheeky young thing and asked, "How long have you lived, Hatchling?"

Min drew herself up and curtly informed the massive black specter that she was in her mid-twenties, not that she thought it was any of Draca's business.

Draca's specter laughed out loud, causing Min's insides to shake from the strength of the waves of amusement radiating from the inky cloud in which she was encased. Draca allowed a small portion of her enormous consciousness to flow into the tiny witch as she laughed, flooding the little girl's mind with the memories of thousands of years of life, love, and terrible loss, and the birth and death of entire civilizations. These were but a few of the many, many eons Draca had been alive. She allowed the girl to see the dragon form Draca had worn for ages uncounted before she sacrificed her dragon body and made the transition into a dragon-woman. Draca showed Min how the Great Dragons had known their time in the Realms was almost over and why they decided to share their magic with the other creatures of the Realms. Min actually saw the process of turning dragon-scale into Jewels before Draca showed her how she looked after the monumental shift to human form.

Min was rendered entirely speechless as the memories flowed, and remained so for several moments after they had ceased. Saetan's fifty-thousand year life span paled in comparison to Draca's, and Min's expected life span was nothing more than a light nap to the aged and venerable Great Dragon Queen. She gathered her frayed courage and said respectfully, "My name is Elmindreda Farshaw, and I apologize for my impertinence, Queen Draca."

Another chuckle emerged from the blackness and Draca began to explain to Min exactly why she had interfered with Min's Offering. She suggested several tricks for Min to utilize during the completion of her ceremony, and told her that she and her mate were welcome at Ebon Askavi any time. Min listened carefully to the sagacious advice and then gave Draca her heartfelt thanks for the counsel and the invitation. The Power of the ancient dragon-woman pulsed one more vibe of comfort before slowly thinning and retreating deep into the Abyss below Min.

Min began to follow Draca's advice immediately as soon as she had assured herself that her Shield was in no danger from the Purple Dusk and Opal Power straining against it. She rapidly propelled herself from wall to wall, crossing the vertical cylinder she envisioned as the Abyss in her mind's eye, trailing a filament of Power much like spider-silk as she moved. Min spent the first while creating a ray pattern spanning the tube horizontally, anchoring strongly to the edges of the cylindrical formation and crossing and interweaving in the middle. She then tethered these rays together with spiraling cords of Power winding from the edge of the construction to the center and then back out. She caused herself then to shoot upward at an angle from the center of her web to higher sections of the shaft walls, and then connected those strands to others shooting up from intermediate positions.

By this point Min was completely comfortable with the process, equating the web-weaving to intricate cloth-darning and stitching (which she had never enjoyed doing). She found that she was enjoying herself immensely now, however, as she flew around building and designing a complex and convoluted web. She used the ability that had deposited her so quickly to this level of the Abyss to speed her progress, careening through the Darkness at the speed of thought as she connected filaments of Power and solidified her mesh-work. When she turned her attention below her web, in order to strengthen it by reinforcing against the lower portion of the shaft, she found that the cylindrical shape of the Abyss changed just beneath her web. The outer walls, which had progressed downward equidistant from each other until about half-way through the Opal level, now canted away from the center in every direction forming a conical shape. Min noticed the Darkness pushing marginally harder against her barrier as she raced down, over and over, laying support tethers to tie into her web but she ignored the pressure completely. She toiled for a long time, or so it seemed to her, before she tied off her last filament of Power and rose slightly in her core to view her construction.

She had created a monstrous masterpiece of tangled webbing. Some strands were up to three times as thick as others, and some even had smaller strands coiled along the length of them, connecting the main at seemingly random points to other strands throughout the web entire. Min was extraordinarily pleased at her work, it wasn't artsy, or perfectly symmetrical, or particularly beautiful, but it sure did look_ strong_. She was also pleased by the heady sensation of rich and dark Power flowing into her, and infusing the web itself with it's energy and potency. She carefully considered her energy levels as she hung in the Abyss resting above her weaving, leaning against the Power-wrought webbing itself, Jaenelle's well-meaning advice and the things Draca had told her going through her mind. She felt fine and was amazed that she had done such extensive weaving so quickly without becoming fatigued. She took this into account as she thought of Rand's need for assistance in the task facing him in their own world. These thoughts caused her to discard Jaenelle's counsel and fling herself speedily downward again, aiming for the darkest Jewel she was capable of attaining.

Min accelerated and accelerated, racing down into the fathomless Abyss with incredible speed and faculty. She could no longer discern colour bands marking the Jewel levels, but she could tell that the space between levels had increased dramatically and continued to do so, as while descending she could somehow sense the change. The spectacular size of the formation at this level was almost incomprehensible, and the Power became appreciably deeper and darker and more vast as Min rocketed down. Her Shield was holding firm with no danger of collapse as she began to feel a force straining against her rapid descent, pulling against her and trying to slow her momentum. She quickly analyzed the sensation and realized that it felt as though she was still connected to her upper web, held back by an elastic filament of Power. She remembered at that point what Jaenelle had said about the Blood only being able to span three levels of Jewel strength, and found that although it felt as if she had been descending for a long time, she had only passed three Jewel levels. She was now at the level of the Red without any danger of being overcome by the Darkness pressing upon her.

The intelligent and energetic young woman got to work immediately. She had thought of ways to improve her original web even as she had been finishing to weave it, and so the second weaving went much quicker and was much more adroitly done. In a very short time Min had anchored up and downward, laid and tied off all her radial lines and was merely adding the final touches before charging the web. This construction, she found as she backed away, was a much finer, even stronger and considerably more esthetically pleasing construct than her first web. Min basked in the gloriously exhilarating feeling as sweet, dark, roiling waves of Red Power flowed into her body and into her web. They made the woman who had lived around magic-users, but never felt it's wonderfully empowering essence herself, almost swoon at the potency and potential of the Red.

She soon felt herself saturated with Power, completely unable to absorb more and yet perfectly comfortable lying against her web. She felt within herself and confirmed the slight feeling she had pushed to the back of her mind whilst weaving the second web. She had left her first web, higher in the Abyss, before she had absorbed the maximum amount of energy there, but her upper web had reached the saturation point while she laboured on her lower construct and she had somehow sensed the completion of charging. Min was exultant, she had woven two spectacular webs and charged both to capacity without exhausting herself or going mad. She rested for only a few moments before soaring upward at the maximum speed she could attain until slowing her momentum prior to entering her body again. Min had recalled a warning given to her by Jaenelle not to move quickly from the core unless attacking or in an emergency scenario, as the rapid ascent would cause turbulence in the Abyss that may transmute into unwanted Craft as one returns to the body.

Min opened her eyes to the dimly lit Sanctuary and saw two large Jewels on the floor before her. Before standing she reached out and collected the two Power reservoirs in her hands and merely sat still, feeling the significant Power held within the flashing depths of the Jewels and sensing her bond with them. She was extremely content and felt quite vindicated by her accomplishment. She had intended to follow Jaenelle's advice, but between using Rand's Shielding technique and utilizing some of Draca's tricks she had been able to delve much deeper and further into the Abyss than Jaenelle had anticipated. She stood up and found that she was not nearly as stiff as she had been expecting, so she only stretched her legs and torso for a moment before heading toward the doors.

To say that the group outside the Sanctuary was surprised to see Min when she came out would be a huge understatement. Chairs had been set on the lawn not far from the Sanctuary entrance along with a small but sturdy wooden table. As Min exited the Dark Altar into the dark night she saw that Saetan, Surreal and Jaenelle sat in armchairs talking to Katrine, who sat in her miniature seat placed upon the table to place her at eye-level to her companions, and Rand and Clarity had moved aways a bit to sit on the grass and converse. Jaenelle leapt from her chair and ran to Min's side asking if something had gone wrong while Saetan and Katrine just remained in their seats with wide eyes. When Rand and Clarity noticed Jaenelle's movement they too burst up from sitting position and convened around Min at high speed.

Min had no idea why they seemed upset, so she just smiled widely and held out the fruits of her labour. Jaenelle was clearly shocked and Clarity and Rand were ecstatic. Min held two uncut Jewels glittering brightly with accumulated Power in her small hands, one Opal and one Red.

"What...?" Jaenelle began in a slightly dazed tone, "How did you...? But you were only in there for a few hours..." She shook her head firmly and gathered herself, "The Offering to the Darkness takes from sunset to sunrise, regardless of what Jewels one is gifted. Congratulations Min, but I'm concerned about how you were able to accomplish this in half the time it should have rightly taken."

"Oh, well Draca said I do things a bit differently than most Blood," Min cheerfully explained, "she gave me some tips and pointers before I set to weaving my first web at the Opal. The more time I spent weaving, the easier it got and the faster I was able to operate. If Draca hadn't stopped me at the Opal the first time I think I probably could have descended another Jewel rank or two, but I was held back by my upper web and had to weave at the bottom of the Red rank." While she was speaking, Saetan and Katrine had joined the circle around her. By the time she finished her comments all of her listeners from Kaleer were wide-eyed and slightly shaken.

Saetan cleared his throat and gently queried Min, "Are you saying that Draca came to you while you were descending in your own Abyss?" His tone was soft and soothing, but Min chose to interpret that as undesired and unwarranted solicitude, completely forgetting her instinctive fear-fueled pique and discourtesy when Draca's specter had approached and encircled her.

Min retorted quickly, "Well, she didn't eavesdrop on sexual frolics in the shower, if you think it was that distasteful, she just came for a visit. Her Power rose from the depths and encased me for a few moments, that's all. We had a nice chat, and Rand and I are invited to Ebon Askavi to visit whenever we want." She finished her startling speech with a smile and a big grin to Rand, who smiled right back.

Saetan looked from Jaenelle to Katrine for a moment and shrugged before turning his kind eyes to Min again. This time an honest smile warmed his features and he began, "Congratulations Min. I apologize for the startled reactions you just received, this is the first time I have ever heard of anyone communing while a ceremony was taking place. It is an incredible honour that Draca came to you tonight and we are all _very_ proud that you were able to acquire such powerful Jewels." He gladly returned the tight embrace Min pulled him into and exchanged significant looks with Jaenelle over Min's shoulder as she hugged Jaenelle and Katrine together, and then Surreal.

When everyone in the small group had related congratulations, Jaenelle showed Min how to create a space with Craft in which to store her Jewels and was impressed by the ease with which Min picked up the ability, having never used Craft before. Saetan gently herded them all toward the Hall and the reception of people gathering much sooner than expected. Saetan had sent a psychic message to Helene when Min had first emerged from the Sanctuary, so by the time they walked into the Hall there were many people congregating and flocking towards a dining room. Min smilingly exchanged greetings and accepted felicitations as they followed the flow of people into a massive dining hall Rand and Min had not yet explored.


	21. Chapter 21 The Day Between

**Chapter 21** - The Day Between

The first thing Min noticed as she moved through a set of arches into the dining hall was the massive table running down the entire length of the room. This table was so huge and heavy that Min could think of no way that it could ever have been brought into this room, never mind fabricated in the first place. The seamless slab of richly-grained dark-brown wood had room to seat two hundred people, with space to spare. There were hundreds of modestly carved and comfortable looking chairs around the chamber, but many of the wooden chairs made to exactly match the table had been moved into a far corner of the room to make space for other seats placed in their spots around the banquet table. Every second or third chair around the huge board was either heavily upholstered and incredibly plush or had a backing designed for an occupant with wings to be comfortable. The matching chairs were all well-made and heavy, interspersed between the fancier seats. The entire hall was brightly lit with Craft-fire from several fantastic chandeliers hanging over the massive slab of polished wood, all along it's length.

The grouping of people who had come to celebrate her successful Offering was numerous, and yet they seemed a small crowd in the colossal room. They gathered just inside the chamber and passed Min around for hugs and congrats while the Hall-staff brought drinks to all and slowly filled the table with the delicacies Mrs. Beale was able to provide at short notice, having expected to have another few hours to finish her celebration preparations. Once they had all had a moment to visit they began choosing seats around one end of the table.

Jaenelle and Daemon sat on the end of the wooden slab with Min and Rand, with Jaenelle and Rand on the edges next to Gabrielle and Saetan respectively. Convivial chatter went to and fro around the table as everyone grabbed a bite of what they fancied as they listened eagerly to Min's questioners and the witty and sometimes outright ignorantly naive responses of the spirited young foreigner. Min slowly came to realize, from the number and quality of questions and the surprise in many eyes, that meeting Draca in her Abyss was somehow special. Lucivar told her plainly that it was an unprecedented occurrence after she attempted a second time to deflect her questioner's interest. The talk slowed for a moment at his indiscreet proclamation, but Min's enthusiasm was not dimmed and so conversation bubbled back to a steady stream while they all enjoyed a late-night, or a very early morning repast.

Rand and Min both remembered being congratulated again before being excused from morning training shortly after Jaenelle introduced them to a favourite drink of hers. Gravediggers were a marvelous invention almost equivalent to the coffee she had been brought that morning, Min decided as she guzzled her way through her second large glass. Rand found that the friendly atmosphere and the delectable beverage made things wonderfully fuzzy, and he could not imagine being more content as he leaned over and passed out with his head on his lover's shoulder, with the fragrance of Min's sweetly scented neck befuddling his senses further. Min smiled at her cute farm-boy's antics before she decided he probably had the right idea and dozed off in the middle of a conversation with tiny Katrine.

The celebration went on for a short while before Helene and Erin, one of the multi-talented residents of the Hall, levitated their sleeping guests and took them up to their suite. The rest of the celebrants joked and laughed for a while before heading to rest themselves. Several comments were bandied about as they filed out of the dining chamber, mostly about how interesting the next night's Offering may be.

Rand awoke in Min's chamber late the next morning to the barely audible sound of the shower running. He dragged himself out of bed and went to join Min under the streaming water of the multiple shower-heads. He was just standing and enjoying the hot water pouring over him when he was suddenly smothered by a vast sweeping surge of affection and frolicsome glee from Min. She had decided that then was the best time to ambush her half-asleep lover, having resolved to execute a surprise attack as soon as she had woken to find her man snoring loudly and drooling away on the bed next to her. She used her newly gained Craft Power to envelop and then skewer Rand with intense feelings of love and excitement, laughing gayly when he jumped in alarm and flushed bright red.

"_Ha_," she began with a big smile, cackling with mischievous laughter, "now I've got mighty sex-beams of my own. And don't you try anything, Buster, 'cause now I've got the Power to snap you like a toothpick." She finished with a mock-serious face and her hands planted on the swell of her naked hips. She could not hold her grim expression for long as he fell to the tiles on his knees and clutched her to him, begging to be blasted away as he could think of no better way to die.

They joked and laughed and loved for quite some time, refining and honing their ability to reduce each other to senseless, quivering masses of delightful sensory overload on a whim. Rand had developed considerable control over his sendings, but had no Jewel to back them up. He found quickly that the Red strength sendings radiating from Min were far stronger than his and were capable of wringing him dry over and over. They used some of their newly acquired skills to keep their adventures private that morning, and it was a blissfully satiated couple who eventually moved out of the bathroom to dress for the day.

While she was dressing Min sent a query to the kitchens about the possibility of getting brunch sent to their room. As she straightened her shirt Min informed Rand that she had just ordered food for them and she wanted to eat alone with him before going over her ceremony from the previous night, and that the brunch would be delivered to their suites soon. Rand happily accepted Min's plan and kicked off the boots he had just placed on his feet, not wanting leather between his feet and the incredibly plush carpets. He moved over to the double-doors and opened them so they could hear knocking from the corridor before striding over to pull the heavy window coverings back.

It was another absolutely beautiful summer day in Dhemlan, causing brilliant rays of late morning light to flood their forest-scape chamber. The lovers sat together on the plush carpet in a bright patch of sunlight and held lightly to each other as they shared Min's recent experience. They had only reached the point when Min had started weaving at the Opal before they heard a rapping at the far doors from the hall. They severed their link and went out to the sitting room to open the door and have breakfast.

Clarity loped through the doors while they were finishing their repast and moved right up to Min's side in the large armchair. Rand gave the Warlord a smile before returning his attention to the remaining bacon on his and Min's plates, while Min leapt out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Clarity's neck in a big good-morning hug. He informed them that everyone else was up and about already, excepting Saetan, and that Jaenelle and Katrine would like to begin Craft lessons for Min later on that day. Rand was welcome to join her in the lessons, but Daemon and Clarity had set aside time that afternoon to address any issues or questions Rand had about the Offering, or anything else about local customs.

They thanked the wolf and told him that they intended to spend an hour or so together in their suite, but after that they would come and find everybody and get on with the lessons. The huge wolf gladly agreed to spread the word and leave them for a time before receiving another scratch from Min and bounding away, right through the block wall. The well-fed young lovers then retreated to their forest-suite sanctuary and replaced themselves on the bed, sitting comfortably facing each other and maintaining skin contact with hands entwined. Rand was shown once more through the entire exchange Min had had with Draca, including Draca's imparted memories, before Min quickly showed him how she had woven her webs at both levels of the Abyss. Rand paid close attention and made mental notes as he examined the weaving constructions Min had made, formulating a plan for his own Offering rite that night.

They spent a fair amount of time together analyzing and revising Min's techniques based upon her experience in the Abyss before they broke the link and prepared to leave the suites. They both donned long-sleeved shirts of a very lightly woven fabric in dark Jewel hues and full-length brown trousers of a tough but comfortable material neither recognized. Rand wore his old brown leather boots and Min sported a short pair of snazzy black leather boots that had been newly made for her and placed in their armoire. They moved together through the ante-chamber and saw that all of the mornings dishes had been cleared away as they swept out of the suite and through the corridor.

Upon reaching the ground floor they were accosted by Surreal, who called them layabouts and wastrels before dragging them into the family wing. They were joking with Surreal as they arrived at a beautifully bright sitting-room and both of the visitors were temporarily stunned by the brilliance and variety of the myriad of colours reflecting from the windows. Each window was crafted of hundreds of small shards of vividly coloured glass, all held in place with incredibly thin filaments of what looked to be solid silver. The chamber was in a corner of the colossal building and so had two large walls covered in the glass constructions, each wall had a similar pattern; four large rectangular windows in a row at the bottom with three slightly smaller windows centered above, the top three with highly arched and sharply pointed finials. The dazzling sunlight streaming through the cunningly crafted panes was fragmented by the many shards of glass, causing a dizzyingly luminous play of light to dance across every surface in the room.

When they recovered from the momentary shock the colourful room had delivered, the visitors saw that Jaenelle and Katrine sat on a long couch with Marian and Gabrielle. The women were conversing with Daemon and Chaosti, both of whom were sitting in arm chairs placed not far from the couch. Chairs were rearranged for their usage and Rand and Min were quickly brought into the group, and a cheery and lively discussion commenced. Lucivar had taken Daemonar back to Ebon Rih with him for the day while Marian had stuck around the Hall to visit with Min and get to know the young visitors better. Not long after sitting down, the four smiling witches led an excited and gleeful Min out of the room on a mission to find Erin, the tailor who had made most of Min's new clothes. Chaosti and Daemon both chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm as the women departed and then suggested Rand join them for a walk on the grounds near the Hall and he readily agreed.

The five witches traipsed through the Hall and out a set of doors in the middle of a long corridor, stepping out into the bright sunshine in a lovely open-air courtyard filled with flowers of all kinds and a few small trees. Min was amazed at the variety of plants and the obvious health of everything in the spacious and elegantly designed garden. Jaenelle dragged Min from the edge of the outer path straight into the garden in search of Erin, as this worthy was a skilled seamstress as well as one of the head gardeners at SaDiablo Hall. Jaenelle explained that it had been Erin who had fabricated most of Min and Rand's stylish new clothing, and now that Min was awake and Healed she could help design the rest of her ensembles. They found Erin puttering away in the center of one of the flower patches and convinced her to join them for drinks and clothing design discussion.

While the women chatted about apparel, Rand and the other males wandered out of the Hall and onto the front drive. They walked away from the building slowly, following the wide crushed gravel pathway and discussing cultural differences between their worlds. Daemon and Chaosti told Rand a little about aristo society, and the differences between Blood and landen villages. This led into telling him how much turmoil had erupted after 'The Purging' between those who used magic and those who don't, and how they were still working to improve and rebuild relations with landens. Rand reciprocated by telling them about 'The Breaking of the World', explaining to his spell-bound listeners how deranged men affected by the Taint in saidin had devastated his world's population and changed the very face of the earth over a hundred long years of insanity and destruction. He described the attitude of many people in his world about men who could channel, and how most people were either terrified of him or worshiped him as something more than a man.

They chatted amiably for some time as they walked along aimlessly. Clarity strode along beside them and occasionally interjected a comment or question. They ambled a fair ways away from the Hall before heading back, speeding their progress a little as it was almost time for lunch. They entered the Hall and proceeded to the small dining room they frequented and found it filled with women and papers. Min had found kindred spirits in Surreal and Jaenelle, they had quickly gone from merely discussing fabrics and styles to forcing Erin to draw them good-sized pictures of many designs of outfits they admired. All of the women were fond of practical and comfortable clothing, much of it made in a fashion that would be called manly in Min's world. Gabrielle, Marian and Katrine had added their opinions to the mix as well, creating a wonderfully varied fashion symposium out of their morning visit. The women laughed at the mess they had made when the men arrived and pointed it out to them, before quickly setting all of the drawings aside and sitting down for the mid-day meal.

They enjoyed a hearty repast of vegetable soup and fabulously tasty, thick and dark freshly baked bread. The women chatted as they ate about which outfits should be assembled for Min while the men sat back for the most part and just watched the animated exchange between the witches. When all had completed their meals Jaenelle asked if Rand and Min would like to begin Craft lessons, receiving enthusiastic agreement from both. Gabrielle and Chaosti excused themselves and Surreal followed them out of the room, trailed not long after by Daemon and Clarity. Erin confirmed the first two outfit choices Min had made before gathering the drawings and heading off to her workroom. Marian stuck around to listen in on the Craft instruction and assist Jaenelle and Katrine in explaining Blood society to the guests.

Jaenelle began the lesson by explaining that although Katrine was not a Black Widow, she would be assisting Jaenelle with Min's early lessons. Katrine's mother had insisted that all of her daughters become expert illusionists, as none of them had the physical strength to adequately defend themselves from larger creatures. Katrine and her older sisters had progressed as far in the Hourglass training as they safely could, as none of them were natural Black Widows. Katrine was the strongest of the three sisters at a light-Opal, but was very uncomfortable delving far into the Twisted Kingdom. Jaenelle told them that it was very difficult for a regular witch to learn the Black Widow Craft, and one could only go so far in training without having the exceedingly rare ability to grow a snake tooth late in life. Almost all Black Widows are naturally born Widows whose snake-tooth grows at the onset of sexual maturity. Jaenelle said that Satan was the only person alive who had learned as a mature adult to be a Black Widow and grew a snake-tooth of his own, and that Daemon was the first natural Black Widow male Human in the history of the Blood. It would be some time into their Black Widow training before Jaenelle would be able to tell if they could grow their own snake-tooth, until that time Jaenelle and Katrine would start them learning to identify poisons and antidotes, and show them the basics of weaving a Tangled-web.

The bulk of their lesson that day consisted of history and Protocol instruction, with only a few small Craft skills demonstrated. Because Rand had no Jewels yet, Jaenelle merely taught them how to create small balls of witch-fire and the trick to changing the colour of the ball, as well as the trick to create an extra-dimensional space in which to store just about anything. Rand was only able to create a small cubby, whereas Min easily picked up Jaenelle's technique and was able to expand the space with just a thought. Most of the time was spent discussing Blood hierarchy and the positions therein, and where Rand and Min may fit in. The lesson went on into the afternoon until Jaenelle suggested Rand and Min rest for a couple of hours before Rand's Offering.

Neither Rand nor Min were especially tired yet, but they graciously thanked Jaenelle for the first lesson and politely departed for their suites. When they arrived back at their chambers they lay on the huge bed together and talked over Jaenelle's instruction for a while before Min fell asleep in Rand's arms and he quickly followed suit. They napped for the remainder of the afternoon and early evening until Holt came once again to rouse them, as it was time to head out to the Sanctuary for Rand's Offering.


	22. Chapter 22 Offering and Endowment

**Chapter 22** - Offering and Endowment

The same large group of people who had accompanied Min to the Sanctuary all converged in a parlor and flocked out of the Hall toward the Dark Altar escorting and encouraging Rand. The mood was high, everyone was excited about the Offering about to take place. Rand felt supremely confident, he and Min had been over her experience together and he anticipated no major problems. As Min had, he thanked everyone for coming to support him before calling a select grouping of people to his side just before he entered the Sanctuary.

He was wished good luck by Clarity and Surreal while Min gave him a big hug and a grin before Katrine flitted over to lightly kiss his cheek. Daemon and Saetan stood slightly back and merely nodded to Rand with almost identical expressions of thoughtful anticipation, while Jaenelle walked up for a quick embrace before Jaenelle, Saetan and Daemon all recited the ritual adage, "May the Darkness embrace you, Rand al'Thor." Rand took one last look around the affectionate and supportive assemblage and gave them all a fantastic grin before turning and entering the Sanctuary alone.

He did the same thing Min had done prior to descending, he stretched his long and lean body for several moments before seating himself in the center of the floor. He spent a time centering himself using ko-di, or the oneness, feeding all of his worries into an imaginary flame as he sat cross-legged with his eyes shut. Slowly his weighty concerns about the burdens left behind in his own world, mostly what may be happening in that world as he and Min laughed and loved on an unintended vacation, were burned away and he found himself centered and controlled. He quickly reviewed his proposed plan and did an appraisal of his Shield, bolstering his barrier with all of the skill and ingenuity he possessed. He then seized saidin and fired himself downward into the Abyss.

The small portion of his psyche accessing the Twisted Kingdom fed him Power as he propelled himself down, and he transferred that energy into acceleration. In no time he was rocketing past the faint White band encircling the shaft at the bottom of the White level and still increasing speed. He flew at a ridiculous velocity past the Yellow, Tiger Eye, Rose and Summer-sky. He fragmented his psyche further, constantly reassessing his barrier while powering his reckless descent as he zipped by the Purple Dusk and into the cavernous depths of the conical Abyss below the light-Opal.

The cavern walls he had been able to sense canted away from the center half-way through the Opal level. He dove straight down the center of the formation, still drawing energy and converting it to more speed. He noted that the space between Jewel ranks increased dramatically with each level. Rand could no longer see any colour bands, but the Darkness pressing against his Shield, and the resistance of the dark Power checking his acceleration escalated significantly as he plunged further and further. The Darkness at this level was lurid, not a glimmer of light was to be seen and yet Rand could sense darker currents of Power buffeting him heavily. His barrier was holding firm and he regulated his speed, not wanting to push himself at such dangerous velocity against the incredible energies surrounding him.

Rand soared down and down at an incredible rate through the Stygian blackness of the Abyss. There was nothing in the preposterously massive cavern for Rand to use to orient himself but the increasingly dark and astonishingly pervasive currents of Power. He continued to plunge deeper into the Abyss until all of a sudden he somehow discerned a change ahead. Jaenelle and Saetan had told him that the descent would be a straight-shot into the Abyss, and he had only to stop when he felt his Shield straining. He completely stopped his downward momentum with just a thought when he perceived an unanticipated barrier to his plunge.

He did a quick but thorough check of his Shield before moving slowly down to inspect and analyze the obstacle below him. He found, to his vast amazement and slight bewilderment, that the Abyss was very much like an immense subterranean cavern. From the Opal Jewel level down, the chasm opened in a conical shape into a fathomless chamber of Power, and now Rand had reached the bottom. _Or had he?_ As he neared the ultimate-black of the seemingly flat plane, he was somehow able to discern movement within the murky depths, far below. His form was puny in comparison to the vastness of the abysmal cavern and he was constantly assaulted by currents of immense energy swirling through the ether. He decided to weave his first web just above the flat plane and contemplate after it's weaving whether or not to plunge deeper.

Drawing more heavily on his link to the Twisted Kingdom, Rand began weaving at the speed of thought. He had scrutinized every step of Min's weaving while connected to her that morning, so he wove his web almost the same way as Min had woven her second construction. He had had an epiphany of how to strengthen his web while reviewing Min's technique, and so instead of a single filament of Power following Rand from wall to wall in the Abyss it was a braided cable of five. He interlaced the strands as they flowed behind him, racing around the colossal cavern back and forth at an incredible rate. As Min had done, Rand ran support tethers from his web to higher sections of the Abyss walls. His tethers, however, were thickly braided columns of ten filaments of Power interwoven for stability and resilience.

Rand was narrowly focused on his weaving when a sharp thrum of incredibly dark Power flowed through his web. He halted his work immediately and speedily floated over to the section of his webbing from which the disturbance had originated. When he neared the center of his unfinished construct he became aware of an enormous presence lurking just beneath his web, something had flowed up from the sea of Power below and had brushed lightly against his construction. He waited for just a moment before respectfully sending a greeting on a common thread, *Hello there. I am Rand al'Thor. Is it Queen Draca I have the pleasure to address here this evening?*

A rumbling chuckle could be heard throughout the Abyss, then a deep male voice, speaking aloud with slightly sibilant intonation came from everywhere at once and said, "No Young-Blood, I am known as Lorn."

Rand easily greeted the specter, "Hello Prince Lorn. Nice to meet you, Min and I are quite excited to come the the Keep to visit with you and Draca. We would both like to thank Draca for helping Min with her Offering last night. Min was able to attain much stronger Jewels than Jaenelle had anticipated, thanks to Draca's advice."

Another hearty chuckle reverberated through the ether before Lorn answered, "Draca merely kept the little witch from burning herself out, Young-Blood. The technique you use to speed yourself in the Abyss is one not taught for ages in these Realms. When the Great Dragons shared our Power, creating the Blood, we had to limit the Power our scales could contain to a form useable by smaller and much more delicate entities. We transformed our scales, the repositories of our Power, into Jewels that human Blood and Kindred could charge and wear. Over the millennia the Blood have refined and honed their skills with this diluted Power, but the amount of energy they can access is but a pale shadow to the tremendous might we Great Dragons once wielded."

The powerful male voice continued, sounding somewhat sad, "Your ability to tap the energy of the Twisted Kingdom whilst in the Abyss is a technique known only to dragons. Human bodies are too fragile to conduct and control the Powers that reside deep in the Abyssal Sea; your phenomenal mental barriers will stand firm until your body itself bursts. If Draca and I had not provided warning, you and your mate Min would have felt that everything was fine, continuing to descend until all of a sudden the Power crushed your mind like a bug and splattered your insides all over the Sanctuary with little to no warning. The human and Kindred Blood are able to use small portions of the Power in the Upper Abyss corresponding to what Jewels they were gifted with in Birthright and Offering ceremonies, this has proven to be sufficient for ages. Jaenelle is the first in long, _long_ years to weave more than two webs, thereby accessing Power throughout the entire Jewel range, and even she has never entered the Abyssal Sea. The Great Dragons, however, and a _very_ few of our young cousins, swim in and breathe the very essence of the mercurial liquids that make up the Sea, which extends far, _far_ beneath your impressive construction."

Rand was dumbstruck, thinking of how far he had plummeted to reach that level, and wondering just how deep and vast this Abyssal Sea was. Rand was able to make sense of the signals his perceptions were sending him, now that he had Lorn's information. The black barrier beneath his web was not solid, but neither was it fully liquid. It had felt somewhat like diving into a pond and swimming deeper as he progressed into the Abyss, but the dark substance in the Upper Abyss was as air to the Cimmerian Sea below him now. The black expanse of fluid appeared calm at first glance, but Rand could soon sense ripples and eddies on the surface as well as phenomenally strong currents and rip-tides within the thick and dark mercurial medium.

Rand thought for a moment and then queried, "Can you teach me to swim?"

The rich, deep voice spoke again and Rand could hear a smile in it, "No need to be hasty, Young-Blood. There will be time for you to learn."

Rand responded quickly, "I'm not so sure about that. Min and I need to get back to our own world soon. There is much to do and unfortunately I am the one who has to do most of it. We don't have much time to dally here."

The inky apparition rushed out of the sea and encased Rand completely in a split-second. Rand quailed at the immensity of the Power that swept him up and shook him like a frail and paltry leaf caught in a spectacular hurricane. He was stupefied by the scope of Power that personified Lorn, merely slumping in the Great Dragon's clutches for a time in shocked awe. The mind-numbing panic he had felt when first enveloped was assuaged by the thunderous sounds of Lorn's amusement. It sounded as if entire mountains were rubbing against each other, sending powerful reverberations of sound and Power through the ether as Lorn laughed at the young man's surprise and consternation. It was clear to the Great Dragon that Rand had not often crossed paths with creatures or entities that vastly overpowered him.

Lorn's authoritative voice spoke again, "You will _make time_ if you wish to survive. You are unique, Young-Blood, and so I will have to set guidelines for you. The long-lived humans of these Realms are generations away from being able to safely handle Power from the Lower Abyss, but you have already almost mastered the mental techniques necessary to plunge into the Abyssal Sea. The Power I just shook you with is a mere taste of what lurks below us. We must be perfectly clear on this one point, Young-Blood, you must remember that I am most definitely _not_ a benevolent god. I am the last of the_ living_ Great Dragons, the Ancient Prince of the Darkness. I no longer command the Power I did in my youth, as many of my scales now hang as Jewels around the necks of the most powerful Blood. But do not doubt _there will be__ nothing left of you but a whisper in the Darkness _if you deviate from the path I set you upon."

Rand was rendered totally speechless for quite some time. This was turning out quite differently from Min's interactions with Draca the night before. He gathered himself and asked the Great Dragon's specter respectfully what was required of him. Lorn explained that Rand should finish his weaving at this level of the Abyss and then move upward, as he would develop the ability to travel through his lower construct and use Power from below his web once he had learned more of the Great Dragon's methods. Lorn commended him on his weaving procedures and exhorted Rand to strengthen the webs he was weaving any way he could think of without taking too much time. He firmly admonished Rand not to delve deeply into the Sea until he was given training, and informed him that Lorn himself would arrange for Rand to receive suitable instruction soon.

He wished Rand luck with the completion of the rite and told him that he and Draca were looking forward to meeting him and Min in the flesh. Rand gave Lorn his thanks for the sage advice before the specter released Rand and flowed down into the abysmal depths, disappearing from view immediately upon entering the dark fluid. As Lorn retreated from Rand's sight a message was sent into Rand's head containing Craft directions for Rand to follow when he completed his Offering. Rand was awed at the significance of the magnificent gift contained in these instructions and sent another quick, heartfelt thanks back toward the departed specter.

Rand quickly shook off the remnants of fear and shock that Lorn's display had given him and proceeded to finish his web. He rapidly completed the horizontal weaving and the upward tethering before he rested for a moment against his weaving, contemplating what Lorn had told him. If he was to make this web his lowest web, he wanted it to be as strong as it could possibly be, and that meant anchoring it to the lower walls of the Abyss within the liquid. The adventurous and audacious young man made the grave decision to attempt to anchor his web into the Abyssal Sea a moment later and began bolstering his barriers to the utmost.

Rand centered himself again on his web and then plunged himself into the luridly dark fluid, trailing a tightly braided cord of Power behind him. Rand discovered quickly that Lorn had definitely not been exaggerating about the strength of energy swirling about within the Sea. As he propelled himself at maximum speed at a sharp angle from the center of his web to the far wall, Rand was viciously pulled and wrenched side to side by powerful currents fighting against each other within the Sea itself. Only his incredible concentration and velocity prevented him from being swept down into the fathomless depths and crushed. Rand was hugely relieved when he finally reached the chasm wall, a long ways beneath the surface. He strongly but rapidly anchored his Power tether to the bulwark holding the Sea of Power contained, then he sidled around the barrier and re-anchored before shooting up toward his web once again.

His Shield had strained only a bit at that depth of the dark and viscous liquid, but Rand had been able to sense his body itself being strained profoundly by the amazing amount of dark Power flowing into it. He returned to his web, tied the first group of filaments off quickly and assessed his mental and physical state. His Shield was holding firm and the incredible pressures trying to split his body from the inside out had receded as he left the Sea. Having tested his ability to negotiate the Stygian liquid and found the descent difficult but not impossible, Rand decided to continue, rapidly completing the tethering of his web into the murky depths.

He paused for only a moment to admire his work before he tied a thick cable of Power filaments to the center of his web and sped himself up toward the next Jewel level. With blinding speed and incredible dexterity the young man wove a web at the Black, tying the connecting cable through the middle before rising again. Faster and faster the man rocketed himself through the Abyss connecting thick, interwoven tendrils of energy to the walls and to each other. In very little time he finished weaving webs at each of the darker Jewel levels, connecting them all with the strong cord of Power running through every web.

He didn't know how he came to know it, but Rand became aware at one point of the short time remaining for him to finish his weavings. As Min had experienced, Rand felt a pull against his upward momentum when he moved beyond three Jewel ranks from the surface of the Abyssal Sea. Rand, however, totally ignored the slight drag and poured even more energy into velocity, speeding his web construction to a frenetic pace. Over and over he raced from edge to edge in the Abyss as he rose, weaving a web at the bottom of every Jewel rank and connecting them with the thick vertical cable.

At long last an exhausted Rand finished his final web at the level of the White before collapsing against the web, shaking with fatigue. He felt like an empty bucket being slowly filled with dark swirling mist. Vibrant energy thrummed through him and eased the sharp edge from his lethargy, while the deep strain in his mind and body gradually abated. It was replaced by a ringing sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Somehow he knew when his time in the Abyss was ending, so he grasped the filaments of Power linking him to his lowest web and brought them up with him toward his corporeal body. As Min had done, he slowed his ascent when he neared his physical form, not wanting to cause unnecessary turbulence. He moved his consciousness into his body, pulling along with him the cable of Power he had braided into all of his webs. He brought the cord into his form and split the braided cable into it's individual fibers and anchored them all to his physical core.

He felt a slight disturbance as he fully settled into his body again, much like missing the last stair in a long flight of steps, but shucked it off as insignificant. He opened his gray eyes and viewed the proceeds of his Offering, smiling to himself widely before gladly closing his eyes and beginning to perform the spells Lorn had suggested. The Great Dragon's specter had imparted Craft to Rand and left it to his judgement whether he use the enchantments or not, depending if Rand thought himself able to perform the difficult Craft, and whether he desired the unique outcome. It took quite a while to perform the Craft Lorn had conveyed to Rand, and yet only moments after he finished the intricate and draining Craft workings he suddenly felt a strong vibration throughout his core as his Jewels completed their charging.

Slowly Rand opened his eyes and laid back on the cool stone floor. His entire being was humming with restrained Power, and yet he felt exhausted to the point of faintness. He creakily levered himself to his knees and then to his feet, amazed at how stiff and bruised he felt. He felt as if Lucivar had been pounding on him for hours, using wooden weapons to bash every part of his body into submission. Stretching out the kinks and pains in his legs and back took several minutes, then he shook his limbs and ran in place for a moment, slowly regaining mobility and pouring a small amount of Jewel energy into his tired frame. He flicked a thought toward the four small balls of Craft-fire hanging on the walls and all of them brightened considerably, allowing him to clearly view the results of Lorn's Craft lessons. A huge grin split his face and then he threw back his head, laughing long and loud, mentally thanking and praising Lorn with all of his heart.

Rand then moved to the huge doors and exited the Dark Altar into the brightness of a beautiful new morning. Everyone was waiting anxiously for him to emerge, as all had expected Rand to finish in less time than usual, as Min had. Min practically bounced over to him as soon as he exited and was wrapped in a firm hug before being kissed soundly. All the others patiently waited until the passionate kiss had ended before surrounding Rand. They all gave him happy smiles before Jaenelle made a query as to what Jewels Rand had emerged with.

The incredibly tall and handsome young man grinned widely at all of them with tired eyes before quickly using Craft to rip the sleeves completely off of his shirt and showing the group his arms. The white skin, freckles and light hair that had covered his arms the night before was completely gone. From shoulder down on both arms Rand now sported overlapping scales, hundreds of them. The scales flowed down from his shoulder onto the back of his right hand, leaving his fingers and palm as regular skin. On his left arm, however, the Jewel-scales ran right over his stump, seamlessly covering the skin and bone. They appeared at first glance to be darkly coloured, almost black, but the morning sunshine glinted off of the scales causing the viewers to see a wide variety of colour, depending on the angle at which one was peering. His twin dragon tattoos were now overlaid atop the multitudinous scales in the same locations as before. They had maintained their brilliant colouring and now appeared to writhe magically due to the scaly inconsistency of the substance on which they were now superimposed.

Shocked silence hung in the air for several moments before Saetan spoke up. After clearing his throat and giving his head a slight shake he curtly questioned, "How in the _Hell_ did you do _that?_" Jaenelle was still speechless, merely nodding in agreement with Saetan's question. Daemon and Surreal had similar looks of incomprehension as Katrine, whereas Clarity just watched with a wolfie-grin and a feral glint in his eyes. Min was astounded by Rand's new dragon-scale armour, and slightly confused by the impression she got while hugging him that Rand was somehow thicker and taller now, but by the confident and pleased look on Rand's face she knew that things were just fine.

Rand smiled more sedately to everyone before telling them that Lorn had interrupted the weaving of his first web at the bottom of the Upper Abyss, the lowest extent of the Ebony. He explained that he had been reluctant to enter the Abyssal Sea, and so had almost completed his first web just above the dense fluid surface when Lorn plucked his web from below to get his attention. "He told me that I was unique, and that he had special lessons to teach me in order for me not to be a danger to others, and for me not to inadvertently destroy myself. I guess human bodies are just not strong enough to be conduits for the incredible Power that constitutes the fluid form of the Lower Abyss."

Once again it was moments before anyone spoke up. This time it was Jaenelle asking confusedly, "The Abyssal Sea? The Lower and Upper Abyss? Lorn told you about these things? I've never even heard of them." She looked over to Saetan and received a shrug combined with a baffled expression.

Rand answered, "Lorn told me that the Great Dragons had to reconfigure, or change the scales while transforming them into Jewels, thereby limiting the amount of Power the Blood can access. He told me that if he and Draca hadn't arrested our progress through the Abyss, Min and I would likely have died. Our Shields are able to protect our minds from the intense Power and the Twisted Kingdom, but the energy flowing into our frail bodies would kill us before we even realized we were in danger. I dove into the Sea a few times to anchor my lowest web, but the Power and currents within are phenomenally forceful. Lorn said it will be some time before he teaches me to swim in the Abyssal Sea as he does, and the way my body hurts like a wicked bitch from just my tethering, I believe him completely. He had an inkling of what I intended to do with my weavings and imparted some very useful Craft to me before he retreated into the Sea."

Rand brandished his transformed arms to the group and with just a thought the scales started shifting colours in random patterns, all along the length of his arms. The patterns surged and swirled with all of the colours of the spectrum, dazzling the viewers. He nonchalantly continued his incredible story, "I wove a web at every Jewel rank from Ebony up, connecting them together with a thickly braided cable of Power running vertically through every construction. I was gifted with fourteen uncut Jewels, one for each rank. When I returned to my body I enacted the spells taught to me by Lorn in the Abyss... and_ this_ is the result." He now sounded completely elated, "This was a piece of Craft that Lorn modified for me specifically, allowing me to cut and transform my new Jewels into hundreds of scales and graft them to my arms."

Surreal spoke up then, "Holy shit, you really are a fucking dragon-reborn. Wow, you'd think it might be kinda creepy, but those scales are actually pretty hot." She cracked a smile at Min and received a peal of delighted laughter in response before moving forward to hug Rand in platonic congratulations.

Everyone else followed suit, several remarking on the beauty and probable usefulness of the scales to Rand after expressing congrats. After embracing him, Jaenelle asked, "Rand, what was it that caused the disturbance a while before you came out of the Sanctuary?"

Rand considered the question for a moment and then answered thoughtfully, "That was probably the cable of Power I brought with me from the Abyss and tied into my physical core. I had the idea to hold onto those filaments of energy, hoping connection to my physical core would create a stronger link with my Jewels. I hope I didn't cause anything drastic to occur?" He looked around from face to face as he finished.

Jaenelle merely chuckled and informed him that he didn't cause any disasters, but that she would be quite surprised if everyone in Dhemlan hadn't felt for just a moment as if they were falling, or as if their stomachs had leapt into their throats. Rand's gaze panned the small crowd and received nods and grins in response to his questioningly upraised eyebrows. Everyone in the group had experienced a short moment of discomfort and, unbeknownst to them, so had everyone else in Kaleer, Terreille and Hell, regardless of whether they were magical creatures or not.

Saetan and Daemon both remarked on how tired and drawn Rand looked, after they congratulated him on a spectacularly successful Offering. They received another grin and an admission from Rand that he could probably lay down and sleep for a whole day, right there on the grass. Jaenelle laughed at that and told him she was impressed that he was still standing and suggested they all move into the Hall for a drink before allowing Min and Rand to head off to bed.

The small group quickly proceeded into the Hall and through to the dining room in which they had celebrated Min's Offering. The many people who were already seated around the table leapt up and converged on Rand when they entered. It was an extremely excited and interested group that Rand described his unique experience to, everyone exclaiming over the impressive new adornments to his physique. Rand tried to be accommodating and answer all incoming questions, but it soon became apparent that he was asleep on his feet. It was agreed among those gathered that they should have a proper celebratory feast that night before Saetan culled the fatigued Rand from the curiously flocking herd of friendly inquisitors and sent him and Min off to bed.

With muttered assurances that they would explain all that they could to anyone who inquired when they awoke, Rand and Min took their leave of the gathering and headed up to their suite. They undressed quickly and stood for a moment with the morning sun flooding through the clear window panes and dancing across the fabulous scales that now covered Rand's arms from shoulder down. The young witch wrapped her arms around Rand's waist and held on tight for a moment before stepping back, looking up to gaze at his face. She mentioned that he felt bigger around and looked to be at least an inch or two taller than he had been when he entered the Sanctuary the night before. Rand told Min how bruised and battered his body still felt from when he came out of the Abyss, but he contested that he was too tired to make sense of it that morning. Min then pulled the exhausted young man over and into the bed, settling next to him as he plummeted into unconsciousness. The small young woman was curled up in his arms and almost asleep before she noticed that Rand's scaled arms were soft and warm against her naked skin, feeling almost no different from the way his lithely muscular appendages always felt. She put the thoughts of his increased mass and the texture of his scales aside for later contemplation and blissfully surrendered to sleep.

/

Draca stepped from her sight shield when she was sure that Min was asleep. She moved from the position she had held against the wall over to the bedside to look down on the young strangers to these Realms. She had come quickly to the Hall when the spectacular hiccough of Power was released by Rand's emersion from the Abyss and had watched the young man's interactions before he and the little witch went to bed.

Draca was intensely, thunderously, passionately _pissed-off_. Lorn had not told her that he was going to share that Craft with Rand, and she would have expressly forbidden it had he mentioned any intention to do so. Draca planned to excoriate Lorn so abrasively when she got back to the Keep that he wouldn't _dare_ make another stupid male decision without her advice and consent, for a few dozen centuries at least.

Absolute fury roiled around in Draca's head, fueled by the heart-warming sight of the young lovers asleep together on the bed. She couldn't tell exactly why she was so angry, but the sight of Rand's scaled arms wrapped around his little lover was the last straw. It had been ages since Draca had become a dragon-lady, and she had only found three males to mate with in those long years. She had once been the most magnificent of her kind. Draca had been the most beautiful, powerful and aggressively sought after Great Dragon Queen in history. Prince Lorn had fought for over a century to win his place at her side, and had spent the next ten centuries proving his worth to the proud and vainglorious Queen. She had eventually fallen in love with Lorn, but she could no longer express that love in a satisfactory physical way as a dragon-lady.

The last few millennia had undoubtedly been tough on Draca. She had gone from being the most alluring and gorgeous creature of her kind to becoming a creepy snake-lady who scared away most humans and just couldn't get laid. She had calmly taken the many rejections of her propositions to human males and tucked the pain and humiliation away in a deep, dark place within herself. Over the years she had expanded her dark place to fit a great number of hurtful memories, and that day, to Rand and Min's detriment, Draca found that she could hold them back no more.

The ancient and lonely dragon-lady started to cry softly to herself as she watched the young lovers sleep. Slowly her grief and pain was overcome by her anger once again as memories long suppressed surfaced in her mind. Those reminiscences snapped the leash Draca had held on her legendary temper for so long, releasing a force that hadn't been seen or felt in the Realms for ages uncounted.

Draca threw her head back and screamed with all of her might, shouting out the massive fury and mortified shame that had been compressed inside her for so long. As she screamed her Power swept out of her physical form like a wild psychic-tsunami, shattering all of the glass in the suite's windows and ripping all of the fine cloth hanging around the walls into tiny shreds. Min and Rand were thrown from their bed while their scant clothing was sliced into ribbons by Draca's emotional outburst, and they had time only to clutch each other and raise up to their knees before a darker wave of energy burst from the keening dragon-lady. Their bodies and Jewels were shredded into a hundred-thousand tiny pieces by the monstrous forces of Draca's lovelorn tantrum in the next moment, and the room itself was scoured clean of all but the black stone imbued with the strength of the land itself.

At long last Draca stopped screeching and looked about herself, noticing the impressive results of her outburst. There were not even blood stains to show that Rand and Min had been in the room, as Draca's Power had savaged and obliterated every scrap of fabric and glass and wood and flesh within the chamber. Draca pouted momentarily to herself, she had considered trying to seduce Rand, but hadn't wanted to be turned down again by a measly human. The loss of one not-so-powerful witch and one Warlord Prince wasn't so big of a deal that she felt upset with herself. She shrugged once as she looked around again, knowing she had gotten a little out of hand, but she could explain things to Saetan and he'd smooth things over with Jaenelle. And anyways, what the fuck could they do to her? She was Queen Draca.

Draca departed the blasted chamber then, in a much better mood, to go and explain to Saetan their guests' untimely demise and the need for some new interior decoration.

/

(Authors Note)

If you made it this far and are interested in the story, but find yourself sitting there and wondering if I've lost my mind: fret not. Every time I update my story I throw a single scene on the end just for shits and giggles. "Draca Reveals Herself" is a sister-story that I'm creating to go along with "The Dark One's Darkest Dream". It is a series of vignettes following Draca's perspective; some are mere fantasies of what she'd like to do and other scenes will actually mesh with events that occur in "T.D.O.D.D.". These scenes plumb the uncharted depths of Draca's personality, describing more of the history of the Blood and the Great Dragons, and showing the impact of eons of life on a mortal soul.

To be clear - every time I post new chapters I will remove the last "Draca Reveals Herself" vignette and continue with Rand and Min's epic adventures. You will have to read the previously updated chapter again because it will have a new ending, with a new Draca scene tacked on the end of the last chapter.

The story of Rand and Min will go on, but life interferes and so does OCD.

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks.


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